No happy twist in tale of woe for Proteas

Guptill fires as T20 victory sees Black Caps square series

[caption id="attachment_96155" align="alignright" width="285"] IN THE AIR: South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw plays a stroke during the international T20 against New Zealand at Supersport Park, Centurion, yesterday. PICTURE: BACKPAGEPIX[/caption]

IT was the best of times for New Zealand, it was the worst of times for South Africa in a tale of two dropped catches that bookended the second Twenty20 in Centurion yesterday – and helped the Kiwis prevail by 32 runs.

In the eighth over of the visitors’ innings, David Miller sprinted in from long-on and dived for all his worth but could not hang on to a chance offered by a heaving Martin Guptill off David Wiese.

Guptill, who was 38 not out at the time, faced 13 more balls and in all clubbed 60 off 35 in an innings that ended in the 12th over when he clubbed a full toss from Farhaan Behardien to long-on.

Miller again sprinted and dived – and this time he held on.

AB de Villiers was on eight when he pulled viciously at a delivery from Jimmy Neesham.

Tom Latham leapt high at short midwicket but spilt the catch.

Six balls later De Villiers hammered Nathan McCullum hard and high down the ground – only for Neesham to spot the steepling ball despite troublesome sun and take the catch cool as you like on the long-on fence.

After Guptill’s let-off, New Zealand scored 111 runs at 8.9 to the over on their way to a total of 177/7.

The one-day series starts at the same venue on Wednesday. -Telford Vice