Hashim Amla’s half-century and cracking cameos by captain AB de Villiers and JP Duminy earned South Africa a competitive total in their one-off T20 against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday morning.

South Africa posted 185/6‚ the fourth-highest score in the 13 internationals played at the ground in this format.

But they were prevented from capitalising on a roaring start by a sturdy New Zealand effort in the second half of the innings.

Opener Amla made 62 off 43 balls with nine fours and a six‚ a measured innings that kept him at the crease into the 14th over.

De Villiers drilled his 26 off 17 balls‚ hitting thee fours and a six.

Twenty-nine runs flowed off the 156 balls faced by Duminy‚ who hammered two fours and two sixes.

South Africa stumbled to 15/1 in the third over when Trent Boult had Quinton de Kock caught at deep square leg for a fourth-ball duck.

Enter Faf du Plessis to help Amla put South Africa’s innings back on track with a stand of 87 that lasted for 51 balls before Du Plessis was trapped in front for 36 by Colin de Grandhomme.

Against a New Zealand attack that seemed to run out of ideas in the first half of the innings‚ South Africa looked locked and loaded for a total somewhere north of 200.

But the Kiwis fought back well‚ and the visitors — who were 98/1 midway through their 20 overs — lost five wickets and could add only 87 runs in their second 10.

Boult was the star of what turned into a solid bowling display‚ taking 2/8 from his fours overs.

Sixteen of his 24 deliveries were dot balls.

TMG Digital