South Africa v New Zealand, 2012-13

South Africa's reputation for choking under pressure in one-day cricket resurfaced spectacularly, and cost them their first series defeat at home to New Zealand in any format. Requiring 106 from nearly 19 overs with nine wickets in hand, they gagged so badly that the final margin of defeat flattered them. Hashim Amla injured his leg in the warm-ups and, with A. B. de Villiers suspended, they had lost the world's two top-ranked one-day batsmen. Nonetheless, it was galling to suffer five run-outs - the tenth such instance, but the first by South Africa. Brendon McCullum captained superbly, always with an extra man or two inside the circle, but the opposition was more than pliant. The crash began when Smith - having added 129 with Ingram - unwisely attempted a third run to Franklin's arm in the deep. Du Plessis got too cute with Nathan McCullum at short cover, the inform Ingram tamely chipped him to mid-off and, when Miller was run out off the same player's fingertips at the bowler's end, the noose had been attached and the trapdoor was creaking. Brendon McCullum rated Williamson's unbeaten 145 from 136 balls "as good as we've seen from a New Zealander". It was also the highest score for them against major one-day opposition. His leg-side improvisation was as effective as it was ungainly, partly because of cramp late on.