New Zealand's experienced and effective bowling attack came to the fore to help the Black Caps defend a seemingly chasable score of 173 against South Africa in their opening game of the ongoing T20I tri-series in Harare on Wednesday, July 16. South Africa needed one of their batters to kick on and get a 50-60 to make that chase comfortable for the rest of the batting line-up, especially after losing half their side by the ninth over.
Both teams' top-order sort of faltered in a bid to get their team to fast starts but eventually, the unbeaten 103-run partnership between Tim Robinson and the debutant Bevon Jacobs for New Zealand was the difference when the Black Caps found themselves five down for just 70. New Zealand missed a few of their regulars in Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips because of being in transit after playing the Major League Cricket (MLC) final and the Proteas utilised the opportunity to make early inroads in the opposition's line-up.
To their credit, after a few lusty blows from Tim Seifert, the Proteas bowlers were able to keep the New Zealand batting line-up under control, taking five wickets for 43 runs in less than seven overs. But one thing was going for New Zealand, Robinson getting his eyes in.
The wicket wasn't as flat and had a few cracks for the bowlers to utilise early on, and for a team to score big later on, they needed a set batter in the second half of the innings. Robinson was a bit slow off the blocks, but together with Jacobs, who kept playing his shots, made sure that the Black Caps got a par total on the board. Robinson stayed unbeaten on 75 while Jacobs flourished in his maiden hit-out with a quickfire 44* as they stitched a second century stand for New Zealand for the sixth wicket.
South Africa's innings followed a similar pattern to that of New Zealand's. One opener scoring a rapid 20-odd, the top and middle-order collapsing for the team suddenly being five down suddenly and then two batters stitching a long-ish partnership. George Linde and Dewald Brevis did that for the Proteas; however, the duo needed to stretch the partnership a little more.
Brevis and Linde both scored quickfire 30-35s, but on a wicket that wasn't the easiest to start, the Proteas needed a set batter to be there till the end to help their side chase the target. New Zealand eventually prevailed by 21 runs as South Africa were skittled out for 152 as Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy, the No. 1 T20 bowler in the world, clinched three wickets apiece.
New Zealand began their campaign with a win against South Africa despite missing a few of their key players will give them a lot of confidence before their second encounter against the hosts, Zimbabwe, on Friday, July 18. South Africa, meanwhile, have won one and lost as many in the two games they have played so far.
