New Zealand will chase 148 for victory in the opening Twenty20 cricket international against South Africa in Wellington, after their bowlers did a good job in restricting the visitors’ batting line-up.

The Proteas, who were sent in to bat on Friday night, managed just 15 boundaries – and none in one 10-over period – in their total of 6-147.

Four of those boundaries were successive sixes by Justin Ontong off a Kyle Williamson over that cost 26 runs, the only time South Africa really accelerated the run rate.

Ontong went shortly afterwards for 32 via a slick caught and bowled by pace bowler Tim Southee, who finished with 3-28.

The Black Caps opened with the spin of Nathan McCullum and, apart from that one Williamson over, the Proteas generally struggled to get the slow bowlers away.

South Africa lost their first wicket at 24, just as Hashim Amla had started to look dangerous.

Having smacked a six off seamer Kyle Mills to get to 19, he went for a quick single from the next ball but was run out to a superb piece of fielding by a diving Martin Guptill.

McCullum made the second breakthrough when he had Colin Ingram stumped for a duck.

Opener Richard Levi, who had smashed a quick 63 in the tour opener against Canterbury on Wednesday, was the next to depart.

Having been struck on the helmet by Southee, he was caught in the deep when he tried to loft another delivery from the seamer over the long-on boundary.

There was worse to come for the Proteas when skipper AB de Villiers was caught off the left-arm spin of Ronnie Hira to leave the visitors at 4-52 after just nine overs.

Ontong’s knock as well as JP Duminy’s top score of 41 helped the Proteas to a respectable total.