CHRISTCHURCH (Web Desk) - Kayla Reyneke produced a spectacular debut performance with the bat, hitting a six off the final ball of the first ODI to seal a scintillating victory for South Africa at the Hagley Oval. South Africa needed 79 off 75 balls when No. 8 Reyneke had arrived at the crease, and though New Zealand continued to make breakthroughs, Reyneke struck 42 not out off 32 deliveries, and scored 13 of the 14 runs required off the final over bowled by Suzie Bates.
No six had been struck in the first 99 overs of this match, but Reyneke muscled two in the 100th, thumping Bates over deep midwicket to bring the target within reach, before sizzling another one down the ground with six needed off the final delivery. This chase of 269 had been set up by Annerie Dercksen, who struck 72 off 93 balls, and Sune Luus, who hit 53 off 72.
But as New Zealand continued to strike, South Africa had seemed to be heading for a narrow loss until Reneke's nerveless maiden innings. She was rapid between the wickets as the visitors whittled down the requirement, and struck three fours to go with her two sixes to keep the target within reach.
With frontline seamer Bree Illing having been expensive, New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr went to Bates to close down the match. But one of the most experienced players in the women's game was on Sunday bested by a 20-year-old upstart to send South Africa 1-0 up in the series.
Earlier, seamer Ayabonga Khaka claimed 6 for 56 in good swing bowling conditions, as Maddy Green's 85 off 83 drove New Zealand forward. The hosts' 268 all out represented a good score given the conditions, but South Africa took the game deep, and Reyneke produced the finishing blows. Nadine de Klerk had also contributed a run-a-ball 39 to the effort.
Having been put into bat, New Zealand had begun strongly, their first hundred coming up inside 23 overs for the loss of just two wickets. But Khaka and Chloe Tryon found wickets through the middle overs, and prevented the hosts from turning a competitive score into a gargantuan one. Three of Khaka's wickets came in the final over of the innings.
In response, South Africa endured an early wobble. When Illing removed Laura Wolvaardt in the sixth over, South Africa were 30 for 2. But then a 123-run partnership between Dercksen and Luus put the chase on track, and put the pressure back on New Zealand's bowlers. Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr and Rosemary Mair all took two wickets apiece while Bates and Illing - New Zealand's two most expensive bowlers in the end - claimed one each.
All five of Reyneke's boundaries came in the arc between long-off and deep midwicket, the batter often going deep in her crease to create hittable lengths. She was especially impressive in the company of tailenders Khaka and Tumi Sekhukhune, turning down singles in the final over to stay on strike. Had wicketkeeper Isabelle Gaze held a difficult chance off Reyneke in the penultimate over, New Zealand may have shut this game down. But in the final moments, the debutant was not to be denied.
South Africa now go 1-0 up in a three-match series.