Proteas seamer Ayabonga Khaka delivered an excellent spell in the second T20I against New Zealand in Hamilton on Tuesday.
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The Proteas Women have levelled the five-match T20I series against New Zealand with an 18-run victory in the second T20I in Hamilton on Tuesday.
It was huge bounce back after the disappointing performance at the Bay Oval two days ago.
Veteran seamer Ayabonga Khaka led the way with the ball with figures of 4/27 as the White Ferns were dismissed for 159 - well short of the Proteas' 177/5.
Khaka was ably supported by left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, who finished with 3/27.
Allrounders Annerie Dercksen (1/11) and Nadine de Klerk (1/23) also picked up a wicket each.
The victory was set up by the batters, though, with the top-order leading the way. Openers Sune Luus and Tazmin Brits raced out of the starting blocks with a 62-run partnership for the first wicket in just seven overs.
Luus was the initial aggressor with 31 off just 21 balls, smashing five boundaries and a six, before being trapped LBW by White Ferns captain Amelia Kerr.
The momentum was maintained through Brits and her former opening partner and Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt. The pair added 48 off just 31 balls for the third wicket as the visitors were handily placed at 110/1 after 12 overs with Brits bringing up her 15th T20I half-century.
But a collapse of three wickets for 10 runs, which included Brits (53), Annerie Dercksen (2) and Chloe Tryon (2), saw the Proteas slump to 120/4.
It required a mini-repair job between Wolvaardt (41 not out) and Nadine de Klerk before former SA U19 captain Kayla van Reyneke showed her big-hitting prowess once again.
Reyneke is proving to be player for the clutch moments for the Proteas with the 20-year-old smashing the experienced Sophie Devine for three consecutive sixes in a whirlwind 28 not out off just nine balls that ultimately proved the difference between the two sides.
SCORECARD
South Africa: 177/5 (Britz 53, Wolvaardt 41*, Reynecke 28*, A Kerr 2/29, J Kerr 2/34)
New Zealand: 159 all out (Kerr 32, Sharp 29, Khaka 4/27, Mlaba 3/27)
South Africa won by 18 runs, level the series at 1-1