Cricket: South Africa Thumps New Zealand

{{Dale Steyn and JP Duminy have led South Africa to a thrilling two-run win over Group One rivals New Zealand on Monday that kept them in the hunt for a semi-final spot at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.}}

South Africa, who lost their opening match to Sri Lanka, struggled early on and needed a blistering unbeaten 86 off 43 balls by Duminy to reach 170 for six.

New Zealand seemed to be cruising in their reply thanks to Kane Williamson’s 35-ball 51 and Ross Taylor’s 62.

They needed 31 off 24 deliveries with seven wickets in hand but a brilliant two-over spell from Steyn (4-17) turned the match on its head.

The fiery paceman dismissed the dangerous Corey Anderson for seven in the 18th over and then picked up two for four in the last over with the Kiwis, who beat England in their first match, requiring seven for victory.

Taylor, needing three off the last ball, was run out.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir also played a key role, taking two for 27, but paceman Morne Morkel had a day to forget as he went for 50 in three overs.

Earlier, Hashim Amla (41) and Duminy fought back with a 55-run stand after South Africa had slumped to 42 for three.

The fourth-wicket partnership was broken in bizarre fashion when Amla thumped a ball from Anderson and it hit Duminy’s bat at the non-striker’s end before spooning up for the bowler to complete an easy catch.

Duminy was full of improvised strokes, bludgeoning 10 fours and three sixes as his side added 70 runs in the last five overs.

{{Scores: }}
South Africa – 170-6 in 20 overs: (JP Duminy 86 not out, Hashim Amla 41; Corey Anderson 2-28, Tim Southee 2-46)

New Zealand – 168-8 in 20 overs: (Ross Taylor 62, Kane Williamson 51; Dale Steyn 4-17, Imran Tahir 2-27)

{{Teams:}}

{{South Africa:}}

Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf Du Plessis(captain), David Miller, Albie Morkel, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Imran Tahir

{{New Zealand:}}

Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Brendon McCullum(captain), Ross Taylor, Colin Munro, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Mitchell McClenaghan

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