Esterhuizen's 75 powers South Africa to T20I series win over New Zealand
South Africa took the deciding match of their five-game T20I series against New Zealand on Wednesday, winning by 33 runs at Hagley Oval in Christchurch to wrap up a 3-2 series victory.
Esterhuizen turns the decider on its head
Put in to bat, the Proteas posted 187 for 4 from their 20 overs. The innings belonged to Connor Esterhuizen, the 24-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who has rapidly become South Africa's most dangerous middle-order weapon. His 75 came off just 33 deliveries and included five fours and six sixes. It was his second consecutive half-century in the series, and he finished the five matches with 200 runs to his name.
Rubin Hermann (39 off 31) and Wiaan Mulder (31 off 29) gave South Africa a platform with a 55-run partnership for the second wicket before Esterhuizen tore the bowling apart in the back end. Dian Forrester chipped in with an unbeaten 21 off 13 balls to push the total past 185.
New Zealand's chase falls flat
Needing 188 to win the match and the series, New Zealand never built enough momentum. Bevon Jacobs hit 36 off 19 balls at the top, but the middle order could not keep pace. James Neesham made 24 off 24 and found the boundary only twice as South Africa's bowlers squeezed the scoring rate.
Gerald Coetzee was the pick of the attack with 2 for 21, while Ottneil Baartman also took two wickets. Mulder chipped in with a couple of his own, and spinners Prenelan Subrayen and captain Keshav Maharaj dried up scoring through the middle overs. New Zealand finished on 154 for 8, well short of the target.
Esterhuizen's breakout series
Esterhuizen was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series. His 75 is the highest individual score by a non-opening wicketkeeper-batter against New Zealand in T20I history, surpassing marks set by Kumar Sangakkara and KL Rahul. Four matches into his T20I career and the Proteas already look like they have found a genuine finisher.
The series swung back and forth throughout. South Africa won the opener before New Zealand hit back with victories in the second and third matches to take a 2-1 lead. The Proteas then levelled it up in Wellington before taking the decider in Christchurch to cap off a strong tour.
