Andile, AB smash New Zealand

AB de Villiers and Andile Phehlukwayo held their nerve through a tense final over to earn South Africa victory in the first one-day international (ODI) against New Zealand in Hamilton yesterday.

The visitors won by four wickets, with a ball to spare, in a match shortened to 34 overs-a-side by rain.

That earned South Africa a 12th consecutive win in ODIs.

Another success in the second match of the series in Christchurch on Wednesday and they will break the national record they set in 2005.

With 12 runs required off the last over, Tim Southee beat Phehlukwayo's big swing with his first delivery. But the batsmen scampered a bye to give the strike to De Villiers.

Then Southee steamed in with a slower ball, which the super-cool Phehlukwayo lofted down the ground with a mighty swing for an arching six to narrow the equation to three runs required off four deliveries.

Phehlukwayo couldn't do much with the yorker Southee served up next, but a precious leg-bye was garnered off the fourth legal delivery. Southee attempted another yorker but missed his mark and presented a half-volley insisted - which De Villiers lashed down the ground for four to seal the win.

De Villiers, who was marooned at the non-striker's end for the six deliveries it took for Trent Boult and Southee to dismiss Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien and reduce South Africa to 126/4 in the 23rd over, marshalled the rest of the innings superbly and finished not out on 37.

Phehlukwayo, who also hammered Boult for six in the penultimate over, scored an unbeaten 29.

The unbroken stand realised 54 runs off 43 balls, and took South Africa to 210/6 in reply to New Zealand's 207/7.

De Kock, who hit nine fours and a six in his 69, the top score in the match, and Hashim Amla put on 88 for SA's first wicket. - TMG Digital