18 Aug 2015

Guptill hails Black Caps' 'complete performance'

12:09 pm on 18 August 2015

Opening batsman Martin Guptill has hailed his side's performance in beating South Africa in the second Twenty20 cricket international to draw the two-match series.

New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first, making 177 for seven, their highest total in a T20 international against the Proteas.

The Black Caps batsman Martin Guptill during the Cricket World Cup.

The Black Caps batsman Martin Guptill during the Cricket World Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Martin Guptill hit 60 off 35 balls, Jimmy Neesham 28, Kane Williamson 25 and Grant Elliott 20.

The Black Caps included two spinners and opened the bowling with Nathan McCullum who finished with two wickets as the home side was restricted to 145 for eight.

Farhaan Behradien top-scored with 36.

Guptill said it was a good all-round effort by the team.

"I think we were always confident, with the start that we had we could have possibly pushed for 10 more runs, but at the end of the day I think we had enough and we got the bowling to restrict South Africa," he said.

"The guys did a fantastic job with the ball and in the field as well so I think it was a complete performance."

Stand-in captain Kane Williamson, leading a side missing several key players, was delighted with what he described as "a much improved effort" following defeat by six wickets in the first match in Durban on Friday.

"We touched on a few areas which we needed to improve on after Durban," said Williamson.

"We wanted a few more runs in the middle overs and we managed that. We took wickets at crucial moments but we were also quite smart with our bowling."

South Africa were never on target in the chase after losing their first three batsmen, including world stars Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers, for 47 runs inside seven overs.

Black Caps spin bowler Nathan McCullum

Black Caps spin bowler Nathan McCullum Photo: PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand spinners Nathan McCullum and Ish Sodhi both took two wickets and were economical on a pitch which Williamson admitted got more difficult to bat on in the second innings.

De Villiers, again captaining South Africa in the absence of an injured Faf du Plessis, said his side were well beaten.

"We were definitely below par with the ball today and unfortunately we lost wickets at crucial times," he said.

The sides start a three-match one-day series at the same venue on Wednesday.

As in the first match, Guptill and Williamson got their side off to a fast start, putting on 52 off five and a half overs before Williamson was caught at third man off Kagiso Rabada for 25.

Guptill smashed his 60 off 35 balls.

South African quick Rabada took three wickets for 30 runs.