New Zealand went into the series with the number two ranking in Twenty20 Internationals ahead of South Africa's number four ranking. However the South Africans had a four wins to one advantage over the BLACKCAPS from the five matches they had played.
The BLACKCAPS won the first match at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington on the back of Martin Guptill's third consecutive half-century in Twenty20 internationals. His innings of 78 not out was also the highest for New Zealand against South Africa. Only Brendon McCullum has scored more fifties in succession having scored innings of 59, 61, 56 not out and 69 not out in 2008-09.
The South African innings was bolstered by a record fifth wicket stand against the BLACKCAPS of 50 between JP Duminy and Justin Ontong during which Ontong smashed Kane Williamson for four successive sixes.
New Zealand scored their highest total against the South Africans when scoring 173 for four off their twenty overs in Hamilton. However South Africa also scored their highest total in reply reaching 174 for two in just sixteen overs.
Richard Levi, in just his second T20 international, was a stand out for the South Africans. His innings of 117 not out was the highest in Twenty3020 internationals equalling Chris Gayle's best and included thirteen sixes to muscle past Gayle's record of ten sixes in an innings. After reaching his fifty in twenty five balls Levi rushed to his century in just another twenty balls to comfortably beat the fifty ball record for scoring a century shared by Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle.
Levi shared an unbeaten partnership of 133 for the third wicket with his captain, AB de Villiers. This was just the second century stand against the BLACKCAPS and the highest passing the 102 added by Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah for England at Christchurch in 2007-08.
Not too surprisingly the bowling figures suffered with Marchant de Lange on debut conceding 43 off his four overs, the most expensive for South Africa against New Zealand. Doug Bracewell would have conceded more had he bowled his full allowance. Only Andrew Symonds has conceded more than the 37 conceded by Bracewell off two overs in a Twenty20 international when he was taken for 39 by New Zealand at Perth in December 2007.
In the third match at Eden Park the Black Caps required just seventeen to win off four overs with six wickets in hand, but contrived to score just thirteen to lose by three runs.
Jesse Ryder had rushed to forty eight off just twenty seven balls but managed to score just four singles off his next fifteen balls before being dismissed.
Marchant de Lange, who had conceded thirty three runs off his previous three overs was given the task of bowling the final over with the Black Caps requiring seven for victory. He conceded just three runs including a no ball and captured the wickets of Nathan McCullum and Doug Bracewell as the Black Caps imploded.
Earlier AB de Villiers and JP Duminy had added 62 for the South Africans fourth wicket to put them in a strong position before the New Zealand bowlers hauled their team back into the match. Tim Southee had figures of two for nione off three overs before conceding thirteen off the last over including four off the final ball which ultimately proved the difference between the teams.
Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill put on 65 for the Black Caps first wicket in a flyer and Jesse Ryder scored just the third half-century against the South Africans before the astonishing collapse which handed the match and the series to the visitors.
