WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand foundered against South Africa's spinners as the Proteas won the fourth Twenty20 by 19 runs Sunday to level the five-match series at 2-2.
Connor Esterhuizen made a maiden half-century from 33 balls as South Africa scored 164-5 after choosing to bat. Esterhuizen eventually was out for 57 and his innings made the difference between the teams.
New Zealand was ahead at 63-2 after the powerplay with Tim Robinson making 32 from 22 balls at the top of the order. But left-armer Prenelan Subrayen took 2-13 on debut and Keshav Maharaj took 2-22 to cut through the New Zealand middle order and turn the match in South Africa's favor.
Dane Cleaver made 26 from 16 balls, returning to the New Zealand lineup after almost three years. He was looking dangerous when he was beaten and bowled by a Subrayen delivery. Bevon Jacobs was also bowled by Subrayen when the ball dipped under his bat.
Jimmy Neesham (10) was dropped twice then caught in the same over from Ottneil Baartman, who took 2-30 from four overs.
Maharaj removed Nick Kelly (16) and Cole McConchie (10) as the spinners pinned down the New Zealand batters by varying their pace and flight.
“I thought a total of 164 was about par, maybe a bit below par,” New Zealand captain Jimmy Neesham said. "We certainly had a chance going into the second half of the game.
“A few average options and poor execution and we came out on the wrong side of it.”
New Zealand's already depleted lineup was further reduced by the loss of Tom Latham to injury and Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson for the last two matches of the series.
Esterhuizen rallied South Africa after it had lost Wiaan Mulder to the second ball of its innings, a maiden bowled by Kyle Jamieson.
The right-hander hit a six and a four from the third over, a six and four in the fourth over, a six and two fours among 17 runs in the fifth over, keeping the South Africa run-rate up. South Africa was 50-1 after the powerplay, its best start of the series so far.
Esterhuizen reached his half-century in the 10th over with a boundary from Ben Sears, the sixth four of his innings that also included three sixes.
“I just tried to keep it as simple as possible to be honest,” Esterhuizen said. "I didn't have much time to think about it because I was out there straight away.
“So I just tried to stick to a game plan and it came off tonight.”
Esterhuizen looked set to go big when he was brilliantly caught by Katene Clarke on debut, running in and diving forward from deep square leg.
Tony de Zorzi, who was the quiet partner in an 81-run stand with Esterhuizen for the second wicket, was out next over for 23 from 21 balls.
Rubin Hermann and Dian Forrester put on 38 for the fourth wicket, keeping the South Africa total ticking over. Forrester made 19 from 14 balls before being trapped lbw by a yorker from Zak Foulkes.
Hermann made an unbeaten 28 from 25 balls, Jason Smith scored 19 from 15 and George Linde added 14 from eight but New Zealand reined in South Africa's scoring a little at the death. Only 43 runs came from the last five overs and Sears allowed only one run from the bat in the final over.
The deciding match is at Christchurch on Wednesday.
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