Robinson, Duffy, Henry step up as New Zealand subdue South Africa

New Zealand's new coach Rob Walter - who is also South Africa's old white-ball coach - began his tenure with a win but his previous team made his current one work for it.

Chasing 174, South Africa were 111 for 7 in the 14th over before George Linde struck 30 from 20 balls and shared a 37-run stand with Gerald Coetzee. South Africa needed 31 runs from the last three overs but Linde holed out against Jacob Duffy who ended the contest with two wickets in two balls.

That meant New Zealand's joint second-highest score against South Africa of 173 proved to be enough on a surface where short balls proved to be the most challenging. Three of New Zealand's top five were undone by back of a length deliveries and they were wobbling on 70 for 5 in the 10th over before Tim Robinson and South African-born debutant Bevon Jacobs put on 103 - New Zealand's second-highest sixth-wicket partnership in T20Is. Their stand, which included 43 runs off the last three overs, is also only the eighth century stand in a men's T20I for the sixth-wicket or lower.

South Africa did not have a partnership anywhere close to that. Their highest was 39 between Dewald Brevis and Linde, also for the sixth wicket, in a shortened line-up. With Senuran Muthusamy in at No.4 and the all-rounders starting from Linde at No.7, South Africa may want to tinker with their combination ahead of Sunday's clash against Zimbabwe.

New Zealand, who were without Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra as they were involved in the MLC final, will be pleased with Matt Henry's return to the side after injuring his shoulder at the Champions Trophy. He finished with 3 for 34.

Coetzee last played for South Africa in a Test against Sri Lanka in Durban in November last year, where he injured his groin. He made a brief comeback in the SA20 but hurt his hamstring and spent more time on the sidelines. After returning to fitness at the IPL, a lack of long-form bowling meant he was not considered for June's World Test Championship final but the plan was always to bring him back in white-ball cricket.

He made his comeback after nine months and was given the ball in the final over of the powerplay. His first three balls were pacy (without Hawk-Eye it was not possible to tell exactly what speed) and on a good length before he went fuller and then to his signature back-of-a-length. He only gave away a wide in the first over. Robinson pulled the second ball of his second over in front of square but when Daryll Mitchell tried to repeat the dose two balls later, he top-edged and Kwena Maphaka, at deep square leg, did the rest.

Coetzee was too short in his third over which cost 13 runs and then lost his lengths in his final over to finish with figures of 1 for 39, which was South Africa's most expensive.

Robinson announced himself when he advanced down the track to meet the last ball of Linde's first over and launch it over his head and the sightscreen for the innings' first six. His first three partners - Mitchell, Mitchell Hay and James Neesham - were dismissed in single figures (Neesham for a duck), but when debutant Bevon Jacobs joined him, runs came easier. The pair saw off Muthusamy and took on the seamers. They were particularly severe on Coetzee, against whom Robinson reached fifty with the shot of the innings. Coetzee banged it in short, Robinson backed away and hit him over backward point for six off the 42nd ball he faced. He was equally adept at taking on the full delivery and sent two Corbin Bosch yorkers for four before finishing with a flourish and pulling Coetzee over square leg for his third six.

After a golden duck in the series opener, Lhuan-dre Pretorius came out with good intent in his second T20I, determined to get some runs. He creamed Henry's second ball - too full and too wide - through the covers for four and gave the next one, which was much better in line and length, the same treatment. Duffy's overpitched and Pretorius hit him back over his head for four and then finally went leg-side when he pulled Duffy for his fourth four. Pretorius faced 13 of the first 14 balls in the innings and scored 21 runs from them, including five boundaries. He managed one more when he drove Henry aerially toward mid-on, where Duffy parried it away for four, but then guided a Henry delivery that angled away straight into Tom Seifert's gloves to end an energetic knock.

New Zealand threatened to find a South African batter short of the crease when Reeza Hendricks, on 13, only just made it in as a direct hit came in. Three overs later, Rassie van der Dussen was not quite as lucky. He was on 6 when he nudged Mitchell Santner into the leg side and Brevis called him through for a single. Van der Dussen hesitated while Seifert ran around to throw the ball to the stumps at the bowler's end and missed. Santner had to clean up and was still on the ground when targeted the stumps again and hit. New Zealand did not think they had reacted quickly enough to get a wicket but replays showed van der Dussen was short of his ground. South Africa were 62 for 5 in the ninth over and needed 112 runs from 68 balls to win. Brevis' 35 and Linde's 30 took them close but South Africa were bowled out for 152 inside 19 overs to lose by 21 runs.