An outstanding all-round effort from Black Caps opener Rob Nicol played a huge part as New Zealand restricted South Africa to 7-165 in the deciding Twenty20 cricket international at Eden Park in Auckland.

Nicol featured with two excellent catches, a run-out and figures of 2-20 off three overs after New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl on Wednesday.

He caught danger man Richard Levi, who clubbed 13 sixes in a match-winning unbeaten 117 in the second T20 in Hamilton on Sunday, for 11 in the third over off James Franklin.

Albie Morkel followed soon after as Nicol took a sharp catch late in the fifth over from a slower Tim Southee delivery.

A 62-run fourth-wicket partnership between captain AB de Villiers and JP Duminy kept the Proteas on target after the loss of Hashim Amla for 33 early in the eighth over.

With Duminy looking dangerous in clubbing 38 off 20 balls, Nicol collected a full-blooded de Villiers drive from the last ball of the 13th over and whipped off the bails to catch Duminy out of his ground.

Nicol then struck twice in the 14th over, first bowling de Villiers for 29 then trapping Justin Ontong in front two balls later for six.

Southee and Doug Bracewell bowled superbly in the closing overs, shutting down the South Africans with clever variation in line and pace.

Southee finished with figures of 2-22 off his four overs, while Bracewell chipped in with 1-28.