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An unbeaten century partnership between Tim Robinson and debutant Bevon Jacobs led New Zealand to a 21-run victory over South Africa in a T20 tri-series match on Wednesday, with Robinson scoring 75 not out and Jacobs contributing 44 runs in their total of 173-5.Fast bowlers Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry were instrumental in New Zealand’s win, taking three wickets each as South Africa was bowled out for 152 in 18.2 overs.
South Africa’s Lhuan-dre Pretorius started strongly with 27 runs including six boundaries before Henry and Duffy struck back with quick wickets.Pretorius fell to Henry’s slower ball, edging to wicketkeeper Tim Seifert, while Rubin Hermann was caught at mid-wicket off Duffy’s bowling for just one run.Debutant Senuran Muthusamy, promoted to No. 4, was bowled by Ish Sodhi shortly after the batting powerplay.South African captain Rassie van der Dussen was run out for 6 runs by Mitchell Santner at the non-striker’s end, leaving his team struggling at 62-5 in the ninth over.Dewald Brevis scored 35 off 18 balls and George Linde made 30 off 20 balls, but both were caught in the outfield against Henry and Duffy respectively.Duffy nearly achieved a hat-trick after dismissing Linde and Kwena Maphaka consecutively, but Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball. Henry sealed the victory by dismissing Gerald Coetzee.New Zealand’s innings had a shaky start as their top order struggled against short-pitched bowling. Devon Conway, returning to T20s after three years, managed only 9 runs before falling to Maphaka.Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Hay were dismissed for single-digit scores, while James Neesham recorded his seventh T20 duck, caught by Corbin Bosch off Maphaka’s bowling.Robinson and Jacobs turned the innings around with their 103-run partnership, scoring 63 runs in the final five overs.Robinson reached his fifty with a six against Coetzee, who was playing his first international match after a nine-month injury break. Coetzee conceded 19 runs in the final over, finishing with figures of 1-39.Maphaka was South Africa’s most successful bowler with 2-38, while South Africa had made three changes to their team that previously defeated Zimbabwe.
