Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, Superb final over of the Powerplay from Foulkes. Drops it short and around leg, Tony de Zorzi lets it sail over his head. The bowler gets away with this one.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, Excellent again from Zakary. Pace-off, fuller delivery from around the wicket on leg. Tony de Zorzi keeps it out on the leg side.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, Oh, a mix-up, but no harm done. Shorter delivery, down leg. Tony de Zorzi stays on the leg side and tries to pull, but mistimes it to short fine leg. The fielder dives to his left and stops. Esterhuizen wanted a single but Tony denies the call.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, Zakary Foulkes bowls it slightly short and cramps the batter for room, around leg. Tony de Zorzi gets inside the line to hit it away but miscues it on the off side.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, Touch fuller length and on middle, climbs off the surface. Tony de Zorzi forced to play it straight but splices his shot to short third man.
Zakary Foulkes to Connor Esterhuizen, Hard-length delivery on middle. Esterhuizen bunts it in front of mid-wicket for a run. 50 is up for South Africa.
Constant changes in bowling as the hosts search for another breakthrough. Zakary Foulkes (1-0-10-0) is back on, replacing Ben Sears.
James Neesham to Connor Esterhuizen, On a length and on middle. Esterhuizen nudges it through mid-wicket for a single. 16 runs off the over.
James Neesham to Tony de Zorzi, Leg bye! A good length delivery, nipping in from around leg. Tony de Zorzi looks to flick but misses and it rolls off the pads to point for a leg bye.
James Neesham to Connor Esterhuizen, A slower half-volley from Neesham, on middle. Connor flicks it to square leg for a single.
James Neesham to Connor Esterhuizen, SIX! Picks it up perfectly. Esterhuizen is on a roll! A bit too straight, full and on the pads. Connor picks up and wrists it away over square leg for a six. 14 runs off half the over.
James Neesham to Connor Esterhuizen, FOUR! That's more controlled. Short again, a bit into the surface and keeps it wide. Connor Esterhuizen frees his arms and slaps it in the vacant cover region for a boundary.
James Neesham to Connor Esterhuizen, FOUR! Streaky but South Africa have all the momentum right now. James Neesham bangs it short and bowls outside off. Connor Esterhuizen looks to pull but gets a top edge, over short third man for a boundary.
James Neesham brings himself into the attack, replacing Kyle Jamieson.
Ben Sears to Tony de Zorzi, Back of a length, around off, Tony de Zorzi hops up on his toes and dabs this to backward point for a dot.
Ben Sears to Connor Esterhuizen, On a length, around the pads, Connor Esterhuizen flicks this through mid-wicket for one.
Ben Sears to Connor Esterhuizen, SIX! Lofted over the fence for a biggie. Pitched-up delivery, around off, Connor Esterhuizen presses in front and goes through with the swing of his bat. Lofts this over the fence towards the long off region and the ball ends up into the stands. Six more to the Proteas and Esterhuizen.
Ben Sears to Connor Esterhuizen, FOUR! Lofted over mid off for four more. Short and on off, Connor Esterhuizen stays leg side to it and smashes this over the fielder at mid off for four runs. Connor looks on song.
Ben Sears to Connor Esterhuizen, On a length, slanting down leg. Connor Esterhuizen gets inside the line and goes for a flick but misses. The ball clips Connor's pad, rolls past the leg stump and then trickles back to the keeper.
Ben Sears to Connor Esterhuizen, Hard length, wide of off, Connor Esterhuizen cuts this to the left of point for no run as this is fielded inside the circle.
Change in bowling. Here's Ben Sears replacing Zakary Foulkes.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, On a length, around off, Connor Esterhuizen drives this in the gap and takes a single to end the over. 11 come off it.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Full and around off, Connor Esterhuizen drives this to covers for no run.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Good length, on off, nipping back in. Connor Esterhuizen misses the flick and the ball rams onto his front pad.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, SIX! Pumped into the stands. Kyle Jamieson goes top-deck and bowls a short one to Connor. The batter was up for it as Connor plants his front foot towards the line of the ball and pulls this off his front foot up and over the fence at deep mid-wicket for a biggie.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, FOUR! Connor gets one away as well. On a length, around middle and off, Connor Esterhuizen leans onto the pitch of the ball and flicks this over the mid-wicket fielder for four runs.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Short pitched, on off. Connor Esterhuizen blocks this off his back foot.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, FOUR! A couple of boundaries in the second over, along with a couple of singles has got SA going in this contest. Full and around off, shaping away from the southpaw, Tony de Zorzi gets right behind the line of it and drives this past the diving fielder at mid off, to his left for four runs.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, On a length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Tony de Zorzi pushes this to mid off.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, FOUR! First boundary of the contest for Africa. Short pitched, around middle and off, Tony de Zorzi gets cramped a bit but a quick bit of footwork helps him pull this past the fielder at mid-wicket to his left for a boundary.
Zakary Foulkes to Connor Esterhuizen, Hard length, around off, Connor Esterhuizen hops deep inside the crease and dabs this to the third man region for a single.
Zakary Foulkes to Connor Esterhuizen, Well, this is a big inswinging delivery, starting around the fifth stump and ending on top of off. Connor Esterhuizen stays on his back foot and blocks this to covers.
Zakary Foulkes to Tony de Zorzi, First runs for SA as Tony de Zorzi punches a short one past the fielder at extra cover for a single. Tony is off the mark with this single as well.
How about that for an opening over? A wicket maiden to start with. Zakary Foulkes to operate from the opposite end.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, A wicket maiden from Kyle Jamieson to get things underway in Wellington. Back of a length, around off, Connor Esterhuizen looks to block this off his back foot but the ball nips away from the batter and beats his outside edge.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Full and around middle and leg, Connor Esterhuizen flicks this grounded to the fielder at mid-wicket.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Good length, on top of off. Connor Esterhuizen gets right behind the line of it and keeps it out.
Kyle Jamieson to Connor Esterhuizen, Hard length, around off, Connor Esterhuizen looks to defend this off his front foot but gets beaten.
An early wicket for the Kiwis. Another duck for Mulder and their opening partnership troubles continue. Connor Esterhuizen is in at number 3.
Kyle Jamieson to Wiaan Mulder, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Back of a length, around off, with a hint of away shape and bounce. Wiaan Mulder doesn't move his feet much and pokes at it away from his body. Doesn't get beaten this time and manages an outside edge to the left of Tim Robinson at first slip for a regulation catch. Kyle Jamieson straight into the wickets and the Proteas are 0/1.
Kyle Jamieson to Wiaan Mulder, Kyle starts with one right in the channel and around off, Wiaan Mulder plays within the line and looks to block this but the ball holds its line and Mulder gets beaten on the outside.
We are all set to get underway in the capital city of New Zealand. A pleasant evening welcomes all the players. The two umpires have made their way out. James Neesham leads his men out as the Kiwis spread to take their respective fielding positions. Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi are the two openers for South Africa. And the giant figure of Kyle Jamieson is all in readiness to bowl the first over. Mulder to face wth a slip in place. Here we go!
Up next for a quick word - It is South Africa's George Linde. Linde says that it has been an interesting series with respect to the conditions. On the assistance for spinners, he admitts the side had not played spin particularly well but credited New Zealand for doing a good job, adding that he hoped things would go South Africa's way in the match. On what needs to improve, Linde says the key is not losing too many wickets in the powerplay, noting how difficult it is for batters to get going immediately after coming in. He admits to loving his batting more than his bowling, though he concedes that his batting hasn't gone entirely the way he had wanted. He hopes for a good outing this time around.
Who is up for a chat with Frankie Mackay? Nick Kelly, it is. Kelly says the pitch looks good to bat, but they have to adapt quickly. There is a bit of grass on it, but it looks like a 200-plus wicket. Reckons that the pre-conceived ideas are wrong sometimes, and therefore he doesn't look much at the wicket. On his plans today, Kelly says it's a shorter square here and feels the bowlers could go into the surface, there was a little bit of turn in the Women's game but he'll take the Proteas bowlers, however.
The captain of New Zealand - James Neesham says that leading the side is an obvious honour, though he adds it is something you reflect on later, probably after your career is done. He also says that he is happy to do whatever the team requires of him.
The captain of South Africa - Keshav Maharaj says they will look to bat first. He adds that the pitch looks good, they'll put runs on the board and try to bring their bowlers into play. Tells that the pitch looks lower and slower as they saw in the Women's game earlier on and hopes to implement the learnings from that game.
New Zealand (Playing XI) - Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke (On T20I debut and in for Devon Conway), Dane Cleaver (WK) (In for Tom Latham), Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, James Neesham (C), Josh Clarkson (In for Mitchell Santner), Cole McConchie, Zakary Foulkes (In for Lockie Ferguson), Kyle Jamieson, and Ben Sears.
South Africa (Playing XI) - Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen (WK), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (C), Prenelan Subrayen (On T20I debut and in for Nqobani Mokoena), and Ottneil Baartman (In for Lutho Sipamla).