Proteas beat Black Caps by six wickets

Skipper AB de Villiers and JP Duminy have guided South Africa to a comfortable six-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening one-day cricket international in Mt Maunganui.

The pair put on an unbeaten 139-run partnership as the Proteas reached 4-236, passing their target of 231 with 11 balls to spare at Bay Oval.

De Villiers got his 89 off 85 balls, while Duminy added 58, hitting the winning runs with the second of his two sixes.

A possible tight finish had looked in prospect when South Africa were reduced to 4-97 in the 25th over.

New Zealand’s hopes were also raised by some tight bowling and fielding as the Proteas failed to find the boundary during a 19-over period.

But with wickets in hand, De Villiers and Duminy upped the pace in controlled fashion to put the tourists in charge of the three-match series.

Seamer Trent Boult, who had earlier shared in a record-breaking 10th-wicket stand, bowled with good energy on the way to figures of 2-40.

Former skipper Dan Vettori, whose first international in almost 18 months began with a second-ball duck, didn’t pick up a wicket with his left-arm spin, but was economical in conceding 43 runs from his 10 overs.

The Black Caps – without the injured trio of top-order batsmen Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, and frontline pace bowler Tim Southee – never looked like they had enough runs to defend.

Their total of 230 was built on wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi’s career-best ODI score of 99.

South Africa won the toss and their decision to field was paying good dividends when they had the Blacks Caps tottering at 5-68 in the 16th over.

Former Australian Ronchi and Tom Latham (29) steadied the inning by putting on 65 for the sixth wicket.

With the Black Caps again in trouble at 9-156, Ronchi and Boult combined to add 74 runs.

The pair broke the previous best New Zealand last-wicket stand in an ODI of 65 by Martin Snedden and Ewen Chatfield against Sri Lanka in 1983.

Ronchi was the last man out in the 46th over, edging a Dale Steyn delivery to keeper Quinton de Kock, who picked up his sixth dismissal of the innings.

Ronchi struck 11 fours and three sixes in his 83-ball knock.

He eclipsed his previous best of 64 for Australia against the West Indies in 2008 by lofting a Vernon Philander delivery for six over mid-wicket.

Boult finished unbeaten on 21.

The teams return to Bay Oval on Friday for the second match of the series.

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