South Africa will look to snap opener Martin Guptill’s hot run of scoring when they try to level their three-match Twenty20 cricket series against New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday night.

The Aucklander grabbed his sixth consecutive international half-century, an unbeaten 78, as the home side took a 1-0 lead in Wellington on Friday night.

“Guptill really took the attack to us and played some really good shots,” South African batsman Justin Ontong said on Saturday.

“At the moment, he’s in really good nick, so hopefully we can get our plans in order to stop him.”

The Black Caps’ win continued the momentum they set in train with their Test victory over Australia in Hobart in December.

They followed up by winning all six matches – a Test, three one-dayers and two T20s – against the touring Zimbabweans.

“New Zealand are obviously on a high,” Ontong said.

“We have to come back strongly, but that’s how T20 works, you have to bounce back. The boys are ready for it.”

Ontong showed some superb form of his own during the Proteas’ innings of 6-147.

After a slow start, he exploded into life with four sixes off consecutive balls from part-time spinner Kane Williamson.

But having got to 32, Ontong fell in the next over to a sharp caught and bowled by paceman Tim Southee, who finished with the night’s best figures of 3-28.

Southee agreed that the dismissal, which left South Africa at 2-105 with less than five overs to go, came at a crucial time.

“He was starting to find the boundary and stepped the tempo up a bit,” he said.

“It was a good moment to get rid of him.

“It was just one of those reaction things. You don’t have much time to think about it. Luckily it stuck.”