At Brisbane, January 8. New Zealand won by nine runs, South Africa's target having been revised to 229 from 39 overs. Toss: South Africa.

New Zealand recovered from 86 for five to total 256, mainly thanks to a stand of 111 from 16 overs between Thomson and Cairns, both making their maiden one-day international fifties. Cairns smashed 70 from 54 balls, hitting successive deliveries from Matthews for six, four and six.

A thunderstorm after five overs of South Africa's reply clipped an hour off the available playing time, and the revised target of 229 proved beyond them. Peter Kirsten kept them in the fight, in his first match since arriving to replace the injured Wessels: despite straining a thigh muscle, he hit six fours and a six in his 97 - and drove his runner, Errol Stewart, to the point of exhaustion, provoking some to ask whether a runner could himself retire.

Man of the Match: P. N. Kirsten. Attendance: 7,477.