Summary South Africa beat New Zealand by 33 runs in the third to win the the three-match series 2-1.
South Africa recovered from the early loss of captain Faf du Plessis to reach 179-6 and Aaron Phangiso and Rory Kleinveldt shared six wickets to beat New Zealand by 33 runs in the series-deciding Twenty20 on Wednesday.
The Black Caps were 146-9 in reply in their 20 overs after the Proteas rode a tricky start to win the decisive game at St. George s Park and take the series 2-1.
Opener Henry Davids made 68 for the home team and Justin Ontong hit a quick-fire 48 from 30 balls on his recall to the T20 team to revive South Africa after it was 26-2 and struggling in the fifth over.
Left-arm spinner Phangiso then took 3-25 in just his second international and combined with Kleinveldt, who also took 3-25, to keep New Zealand out and ensure South Africa started its home season with a series win. The teams meet in the first of two tests starting on Jan. 2.
"This is my first time captaining," new skipper Du Plessis said. "We have been consistently good in all games and it s been a good learning experience for me."
Du Plessis had been dismissed for 1 by impressive newcomer Mitchell McClenaghan (2-24) after being promoted to opener following the dropping of Richard Levi and De Kock was out for 2, also to McClenaghan, to leave South Africa in trouble.
Davids hit seven fours and two sixes in his second half-century in two games and Ontong counterattacked from No. 4 with three sixes and a four after being recalled for the out-of-form Levi to eventually take South Africa to a winning total. David Miller made 28 and Farhaan Behardien 22 at the end.
Doug Bracewell took 2-35 for New Zealand after removing both Miller and Behardien in the final over but by then South Africa had already set the visitors a tough target to take the series.
Guptill, New Zealand s century-maker and match-winner in the second game, hit three fours and a six at the top of the Black Caps innings but he was the first of Phangiso s three wickets when he holed out to Robin Peterson.
Captain Brendon McCullum top-scored with 25 but also fell to Phangiso as New Zealand lost Guptill, McCullum and Colin Munro for seven runs and couldn t recover.
"South Africa played well in those clutch moments," McCullum said. "We were 10 percent off throughout and against a good side that exposes you. 160 to 165 would have been a really pleasing score to keep them to, but they played well in the back half of their innings.
"Had our top order got going we could have been competitive but we could not get those partnerships."
