Albie Morkel's quickfire 40 helped take South Africa to a 13 run win in their opening Super Eights match against New Zealand at the World Twenty20 on Thursday.
Morkel's innings at the Kensington Oval lasted just 18 balls but still featured five sixes and helped South Africa pile up a total of 170 for four.
Together with AB de Villiers, who finished on 47 not out, he shared a stand of 72 in six overs as they built on a solid foundation laid by the top order.
De Villiers faced 39 balls with two sixes and a four.
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New Zealand's reply suffered an early setback when dangerman Brendon McCullum was brilliantly caught in the first over by a diving Herschelle Gibbs in the covers off Charl Langeveldt.
And they rarely looked like threatening South Africa's score, finishing on 157 for seven.
Number three batsman Martin Guptill might have gone for nought when he edged the bowler just short of Johan Botha at backward point.
Guptill eventually fell to off-spinner Botha, in for dropped left-armer Roelof van der Merwe, for 18 when he holed out in the deep to Albie Morkel.
And 51 for two was transformed into 67 for three when Jesse Ryder, on the charge, was beaten in the flight by Botha and chipped a catch to de Villiers at mid-off to end an innings of 33.
Botha certainly justified his inclusion with two wickets for 23 runs in three overs.
Gibbs then took another excellent catch as Ross Taylor (19) flicked Morne Morkel on the legside and New Zealand were 87 for four in the 13th over.
Gareth Hopkins uppercut Langeveldt for six high over third man but, two balls later, Scott Styris struck the seamer straight to Gibbs at midwicket.
The Black Caps required 36 from 12 balls and then 27 from six.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith then brought on Albie Morkel for his only over of the match and he was promptly hoisted over deep square leg by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori.
However, Albie Morkel kept his head and the target became an impossible 22 off three balls.
Earlier, the all-rounder was equally adept at striking left-arm spinner Vettori over long-off for six or depositing paceman Tim Southee for three sixes in an over.
South Africa, who won the toss, saw Smith open alongside Jacques Kallis.
The pair shared a first wicket stand of 40, featuring some well struck boundaries, before Smith holed out to deep midwicket for 14.
And 40 for one became 55 for two when Kallis, who made 31, was brilliantly caught by a diving Southee at third man after uppercutting Oram.
Gibbs, recalled in place of Loots Bosman, looked in good touch while making 30 before he top-edged a sweep off Nathan McCullum to Brendon McCullum.
Both Group E rivals continue their bid for a semi-final spot here on Saturday when New Zealand face defending champions Pakistan and South Africa play England, who beat Pakistan by six wickets earlier on Thursday
Read more at:http://cricket.ndtv.com/wt202010/news_story.aspx?ID=SPOEN20100140546&keyword=news&cp
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