South Africa snatch last-ball thriller

Nov 25, 2007

Brendan McCullum provided a solid foundation at the top with 40•Getty Images

Andre Nel was the most effective bowler for South Africa taking 3 for 46. It wasn't the last New Zealand saw of him though...•Getty Images

Mills got the big wicket of Jacques Kallis, and South Africa were struggling at 9 for 2•Getty Images

The flurry of wickets left it to Mark Boucher to help his team go past the finishing line•Getty Images

A dejected Mark Gillespie's face reveals the visiting side's frustration at having yet again failed to win against South Africa on this tour•Getty Images

Scott Styris too found his touch with a 45-ball 40 and New Zealand looked set for a big score•Getty Images

Chasing 249, South Africa suffered an early jolt when Kyle Mills removed Morne van Wyk in the first over•Getty Images

AB de Villiers combined with his captain and the two took South Africa to 100 just after 25 overs, before Graeme Smith fell to Scott Styris for 44•Getty Images

But the hero of the day was Nel, who hit two boundaries in the final over•Getty Images

Graeme Smith stood firm at one end but at the other end Mills was wreaking havoc among the South African ranks•Getty Images

JP Duminy and de Villiers then put on 72 runs for the fourth wicket. However, it was the fifth, that of Duminy, which triggered a mini-collapse for the hosts, as they lost four wickets for 27 runs. Mills took three of those•Getty Images

Nel took a run off the last ball to hand South Africa a win that nearly slipped away•Getty Images