Two wickets apiece from Matt Henry and James McMillan helped the South Island to a 15-run win over the North Island in the opening match of the Super Smash in Hamilton.
Renowned names from New Zealand cricket were divided into two teams for the match which kick-started the domestic T20 competition.
North Island were chasing 140 but fell short as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Put into bat, the South Island got a strong opening stand of 41 within five overs.
The next two batsmen, Dean Brownlie (15) and Peter Fulton (10) got starts but failed to capitalise.
Opener Neil Broom top-scored with a 29-ball 34 before he was bowled by Daniel Vettori in the 10th over.
Neil Broom Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Two overs later, James Franklin was part of a relay catch at the long-off boundary when he caught the ball and threw it back into the field of play before falling over the rope.
The catch was completed by Colin de Grandhomme to dismiss Nathan McCullum.
The North only scored 57 runs in the last nine overs as Ronnie Hira took 3 for 30 and Vettori finished with 2 for 14.
The pace bowler Adam Milne also picked up two wickets.
The North Island openers - Martin Guptill and Anton Devcich - fell for 1 and 0, respectively.
James Franklin built two steady partnerships from there - of 29 with Colin Munro (24) and 39 with de Grandhomme (23).
They needed 52 from 39 but Franklin didn't get much support from the lower order.
When he fell for 45 after four fours and a six, the equation of 32 off 15 proved to be too steep.
Spinners McCullum and Nick Beard gave 22 runs for two wickets in five overs between them.
