In the women’s match it was a case of the White Ferns being smashed to Brits.
South Africa clubbed their way to an 18-run win and Tazmin Brits did a lot of the clubbing.
The opener pummelled 53 from 43 balls and featured in a damaging first wicket stand of 62 with Sune Luus (31) to help her side post 177 for five.
The White Ferns mounted a decent chase but were rolled for 159.
Brits punished some average bowling from the home team.
She put a dent in Suzie Bates’ reputation, clobbering the veteran’s first delivery for six. Luus got stuck in as well, dispatching Bates for back-to-back fours in a painful over for the White Ferns.
Brits should have been stumped on 52.
Izzy Gaze fumbled the take and the opener got a reprieve.
But she was out shortly after that. She got a top edge and was caught at short fine leg.
Melie Kerr got the wicket. She had trapped Luus lbw earlier and was helping drag her side back into the contest.
Her older sister, Jess, bowled hard-hitting all-rounder Annerie Dercksen before she could make an impact, and Chloe Tryon was run out for one.
The White Ferns had fought back with three wickets in three overs.
But Laura Wolvaardt remained in the middle and the classy right-hander smoked a drive back down the ground off Sophie Devine to underline her intentions.
Despite the mid-innings slump, South Africa still had a solid platform from which to launch and Wolvaardt had warmed up.
Her knock of 41 from 33 balls was crucial, as was the effort from Kayla Reyneke (28 not out off nine), who slammed back-to-back-to-back sixes off the final over from Devine. There is your 18-run margin right there.
The White Ferns had their wings clipped early. Georgia Plimmer sliced a catch to Wolvaardt. Fellow opener Gaze nicked off cheaply.
But Melie Kerr started brightly, lofting Luus for three consecutive fours — all to different areas of the field.
Masabata Klaas quickly discovered you cannot bowl at her pads. She was whipped away for a brace of boundaries.
Devine finished off a productive powerplay with a towering six over long-on.
The home side had wrestled control of the game, but it was a short-lived advantage.
Kerr was trapped in front for 32 and Devine was bowled in the next over for 25.
The lizard ran away with the moon, which makes absolutely no sense. But neither does a challenging run chase without Kerr or Devine, despite some late fireworks from Izzy Sharp (29 from 21).
Ayabonga Khaka (four for 27) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (three for 27) stood out with the ball.
In the men’s match, the Black Caps posted a respectable 175 for six, built on opener Devon Conway’s 60 from 49 balls and useful contributions from former Otago Volt Nick Kelly (21 from 12) and Mitchell Santner (20 from 14).
In reply, South Africa’s innings started slowly and never got going, wickets falling at an alarming rate for the tourists.
Only one batsman made it past 20, No 7 George Linde, who managed 33 from 11. He was the last man out to give the home side a 68-run victory
Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson starred for New Zealand with the ball, taking three wickets each (for 14 and 16 runs respectively), while Mitchell Santner took two wickets and Cole McConchie and Jimmy Neesham had one relatively expensive wicket each.
