Online Reporter
TIM Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs led a rescue act with an unbroken 103-run stand for the sixth wicket before New Zealand’s bowlers came up with a collective effort to power their side to a 21-run win against South Africa in the second match of the T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe yesterday.
Having lost half their side inside the first 10 overs, Robinson (75* off 57) and Jacobs (44* off 30) led a fine rearguard that helped New Zealand finish with 173 for 5.
In reply, South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals and folded for 152, with Jacob Duffy (3-20), Matt Henry (3-34) and Ish Sodhi (2-34) doing most of the damage.
Asked to bat first, New Zealand made a brisk start with Tim Seifert dominating the strike in the opening overs.He raced to 22, striking four boundaries, before falling to a slower delivery from Lungi Ngidi. Devon Conway, who had faced only one delivery in the first three overs, struck two fours off Kwena Maphaka. However, he too departed in the same over, top-edging a short ball.
Robinson looked to rebuild, but support at the other end was lacking as New Zealand continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Daryl Mitchell top-edged a pull off Gerald Coetzee, while Senuran Muthusamy picked up his maiden T20I wicket by trapping Mitchell Hay in front with an arm ball.
Although Robinson was handed a reprieve by Rassie van der Dussen, Maphaka struck soon after, using the short ball again to dismiss James Neesham and leave New Zealand struggling at 70 for 5 in the 10th over.
The momentum began to shift when Jacobs joined Robinson at the crease.
The pair launched a counterattack, each clearing the ropes to kick off the acceleration.
Jacobs took on Ngidi for a six, while Robinson brought up his 42-ball half-century with a maximum over deep backward point off Coetzee.
Corbin Bosch applied the brakes in the 17th over with just seven runs conceded, but Maphaka leaked 15 in the next – including a six from Jacobs and four wides.
Robinson followed with two boundaries off Bosch in the penultimate over before both batters launched a final assault, hitting a six apiece off Coetzee in a 19-run final over as New Zealand surged past 170, scoring 63 in the last five overs.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 173/5 in 20 overs (Tim Robinson 75*, Bevon Jacobs 44*; Kwena Maphaka 2-38) beat South Africa 152 in 18.2 overs (Dewald Brevis 35, George Linde 30; Jacob Duffy 3-20, Matt Henry 3-34) by 21 runs.—Cricbuzz
Mathew Masinge