Former Australian player Luke Ronchi has fallen agonisingly a shot off his first one-day international century after leading a New Zealand fightback that took them to 230 in the opening encounter of their three-match cricket series against South Africa.
Ronchi, who had come to the crease with the Black Caps tottering at 68-5, got to 99 before being the last man out in the 46th over at Mt Maunganui.
He edged a delivery from Dale Steyn 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 score of 64 for Australia against the West Indies in 2008 by lofting a Vernon Philander delivery for six over mid-wicket.
Ronchi shared in a New Zealand-record 10th-wicket partnership with Trent Boult, who finished unbeaten on 21.
The pair put on 74 to surpass the 65-run stand by Martin Snedden and Ewen Chatfield against Sri Lanka in 1983.
Earlier, Ronchi and Tom Latham (29) combined for a 65-run sixth-wicket partnership that steadied the New Zealand innings.
Latham’s departure brought out former skipper Dan Vettori for his first Black Caps appearance in almost 18 months, but he lasted two balls before being dismissed for a duck.
South African skipper AB de Villiers won the toss and sent New Zealand in on what looked like good batting conditions.
However, the Black Caps – without the injured trio of top order batsmen Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, and frontline pace bowler Tim Southee – made a slow start.
Openers Jimmy Neesham (16) and Martin Guptill (5) were both back in the pavilion early.
Dean Brownlie and skipper Brendon McCullum came together at 35-2 and were settling in when the home side lost three wickets without addition.
Brownlie had got to 24 when given out to an edge behind off spinner Imran Tahir after a Proteas review.
McCullum, whose 16 included two successive sixes off Philander, fell to Morne Morkel when he went for another big shot.
Morkel then bowled new batsman Corey Anderson with the next ball.
