However, it was a partnership between South African pair Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus that took the game away from New Zealand at the World Cup in Indore yesterday.
Brits slapped 101 — her fifth century this calendar year — and Luus added an undefeated 83 in a 159-run stand for the second wicket.
That formed the spine of South Africa’s six-wicket win.
The White Ferns stumbled to a modest score.
Devine added some mustard with a fine knock of 85 from 98 balls.
Brooke Halliday chipped in with 45 and added 86 for the fourth wicket with Devine.
But the White Ferns slumped from 187 for three to be all out for 231.
Their last 12 overs were a write-off.
Nonkululeko Mlaba saw to that. She claimed four for 40 and picked up the crucial wickets of Devine and Halliday.
South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt perished early for 14. She was trapped lbw by Jess Kerr.
But Brits and Luus took over.
South Africa had been pummelled in their opening game of the tournament.
England bowled them out for just 69 — the second lowest score at a World Cup — and cruised to a 10-wicket win.
However, Brits has been in top form this year and took control with a decisive knock.
At one stage, she clipped five boundaries in nine deliveries and took on New Zealand star legspinner Amelie Kerr. Otago offspinner Eden Carson got the long-handle treatment as well.
Luus struggled with her timing but was rewarded with a half-century. With Brits scoring so quickly at the other end, she was able to soldier through and had the honour of hitting the winning runs with more than nine overs to spare.
Halliday said the White Ferns’ innings had been on track but unravelled at the end.
"We were trying to set a platform to get through to a competitive score, but unfortunately just lost too many wickets and ended up with, in my opinion, a below par score," she said.
The loss has left the White Ferns near the bottom of the competition standings.
Their next fixture is against Bangladesh on Friday, which shapes as a must-win.
While the loss to South Africa was disappointing, Devine and Bates each reached a notable milestone.
Bates, who was trapped lbw for a golden duck, was playing her 350th international game and Devine was playing her 300th game.
Bates, 38 made her first appearance for the White Ferns as a 19-year-old in an ODI against India in 2006, while Devine, 36, made her debut a few months later, aged just 17.
"To think together we have played 650 internationals for the White Ferns is kinda unbelievable," Bates said before the game.
Bates is the first woman to reach 350 international games and Devine is the seventh female player to reach the 300 mark.
India's Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur, England's Charlotte Edwards and Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Australia's Ellyse Perry have also clocked 300-plus international games.
NEW ZEALAND
S Bates lbw Kapp 0
G Plimmer c de Klerk b Tryon 31
A Kerr c Luus b de Klerk 23
S Devine b Mlaba 85
B Halliday c & b Mlaba 45
M Green c Bosch b Mlaba 4
I Gaze run out (Mlaba/Kapp) 10
J Kerr c de Klerk b Khaka 2
L Tahuhu c Wolvaardt b Mlaba 5
E Carson run out (Bosch/Khaka) 4
B Illing not out 1
Extras (lb 2, w 19) 21
Total (47.5 overs) 231
Fall: 1-0, 2-44, 3-101, 4-187, 5-195, 6-212, 7-220, 8-222, 9-226, 10-231.
Bowling: M Kapp 8-1-34-1 (1w), A Khaka 7.5-1-31-1 (4w), M Klaas 7-0-36-0 (3w), N de Klerk 7-0-32-1 (2w), N Mlaba 10-0-40-4, C Tryon 3-0-24-1, Sune Luus 5-0-32-0.
SOUTH AFRICA
L Wolvaardt lbw J Kerr 14
T Brits Tahuhu 101
S Luus not out 83
M Kapp J Kerr b A Kerr 14
A Bosch Bates b A Kerr 0
S Jafta not out 6
Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 13) 16
Total (for 4 wkts, 40.5 overs) 234
Fall: 1-26, 2-185, 3-207, 4-213.
Bowling: J Kerr 7-0-41-1 (7w), B Illing 6-0-30-0 (3w), S Devine 4-0-25-0, L Tahuhu 6-0-27-1 (3w) A Kerr 10-0-62-2, E Carson 4.5-0-33-0, B Halliday 3-0-14-0 (1nb).
Result: South Africa won by six wickets.
