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CRICKET – CONNOR Esterhuizen’s knock of 75 off just 33 balls helped South Africa secure a 33-run win over New Zealand yesterday, clinching a comeback 3-2 victory in their five-match Twenty20 series after New Zealand had taken a 2-1 lead last week.
Esterhuizen, who made his international debut earlier in the series, rekindled South Africa’s innings after a muted start to help them post 187-4 in Christchurch, before two-wicket hauls from Gerald Coetzee, Wiaan Mulder and Ottniel Baartman restricted New Zealand to 154-8.
New Zealand chose to bowl first and despite Benjamin Sears and Josh Clarkson dropping catches early on, South Africa were struggling at 76-2 in the 11th over before Esterhuizen came on.
The 24-year-old smashed four sixes and three boundaries to reach fifty in 24 balls, and by the time he was caught by the hosts’ stand-in captain James Neesham, Esterhuizen had partnered with Dian Forrester to add 61 runs in 27 balls for the fourth wicket.
New Zealand, seeking their first win over South Africa in a multi-game bilateral T20 series, lost opener Katene Clarke early to Mulder, before Dane Cleaver (22), Tim Robinson (25) and Nick Kelly (14) fell in quick succession to leave them at 69-4 in the 11th over.
Neesham, captaining New Zealand after regular skipper Mitchell Santner was rested and back-up captain Tom Latham got injured, batted till the last over but could do little as their innings fizzled out after Bevon Jacobs’ (36 off 19 balls) brief stand.
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