South Africa held their nerve to beat New Zealand by 19 runs in the fourth T20 of the series on Sunday, pulling the five-match contest back to 2-2 and setting up a winner-takes-all finale on Wednesday, March 25.
After three matches that had already swung sharply in both directions — South Africa winning the opener by seven wickets with 20 balls to spare, before New Zealand hit back with a 68-run win in Match 2 and then an eight-wicket victory with 22 balls remaining in Match 3 — this was a response the tourists badly needed. They found it by posting 164/5 and then dismissing New Zealand for 145 in 18.5 overs.
South Africa set a competitive 164
South Africa’s innings closed at 164/5 from their 20 overs, a total that proved more than enough once their bowlers applied sustained pressure through the middle overs. Posted total gave the visitors a platform, and their attack made sure it counted when New Zealand’s chase threatened in bursts rather than for long enough.
New Zealand begin brightly but lose key wickets
New Zealand’s chase had enough early intent to suggest the target was within range. Tim Robinson struck 32 from 22 balls, hitting four fours and a six, while Katene Clarke made a brisk 9 from 5 with two boundaries. Dean Cleaver then gave the innings serious momentum with 26 from just 16 balls, including two fours and two sixes.
At that stage, South Africa needed wickets rather than containment, and they got them at the right times. Cleaver was bowled, Robinson was caught after his promising start, and the innings never quite settled into the kind of partnership needed to reel in 165.
Nick Kelly made 19 from 20 balls and tried to rebuild, but when BJ Jacobs was bowled for 3 from 5 and Jimmy Neesham fell for 6 from 8, the required rate began to climb. New Zealand were forced into riskier options, and South Africa’s bowlers capitalised.
Spin squeezes the middle overs
The decisive work came from South Africa’s spinners. Prenelan Subrayen delivered an excellent spell of 2/13 from 3 overs, while Keshav Maharaj matched him with 2/22 from 4 overs. Between them, they slowed the chase, forced mistakes, and broke New Zealand’s rhythm just as the hosts needed acceleration.
Corbin Bosch? No — it was Ottneil Baartman who also played an important hand, returning 2/30 from 4 overs, while Gerald Coetzee finished things off with 3/31 from 3.5 overs. Wiaan Mulder chipped in with 1/30 from 3 overs. George Linde’s only over went for 15, but South Africa recovered well after that brief release of pressure.
There were cameos lower down from Cole McConchie, who struck 10 from 5 balls with two fours, Josh Clarkson with 10 from 10, Zak Foulkes with 7 from 5 including a six, and Kyle Jamieson with 13 from 9, but the innings kept losing wickets too regularly. Foulkes was caught behind, Clarkson also fell to the wicketkeeper, and Jamieson was caught as New Zealand were bowled out with seven balls unused.
Series perfectly poised at 2-2
That inability to stitch together one substantial stand was the difference. New Zealand had several starts — Robinson’s 32, Cleaver’s 26, Kelly’s 19 — but none was converted into a match-shaping innings. South Africa, by contrast, backed up their 164/5 with a disciplined, varied bowling performance that kept dragging the contest back in their favour.
The result levels the series at 2-2 after four matches and ensures everything now rides on the fifth and final T20 on Wednesday, March 25. After the swings already seen in this tour, a decider feels exactly right.
