Wellington, March 22 (NationPress) In an impressive display of skill, Jess Kerr showcased her bowling prowess, while Sophie Devine delivered a match-defining performance, supported by skipper Amelia Kerr’s all-round contributions, leading New Zealand to a successful chase of a challenging target. They defeated South Africa by six wickets during the fourth T20I of the five-match series at the Sky Stadium on Sunday.

With this victory, the home team secured the series 3-1, clinching it with one game still remaining.

Choosing to bat first, South Africa set a target of 159/6 in their allotted 20 overs, boosted by a late surge from Annerie Dercksen, who remained unbeaten at 55 off 32 balls. The innings commenced with a brisk cameo from Chloe Tryon, whose early exit necessitated a period of consolidation.

Opener Sune Luus provided stability with a measured 30, supporting the innings alongside Laura Wolvaardt. Nevertheless, New Zealand consistently struck at crucial moments, with Jess Kerr emerging as the standout bowler, claiming three vital wickets to hinder the visitors’ momentum.

The turning point of the innings arrived in the latter stages when Dercksen accelerated, effortlessly finding boundaries and forming essential partnerships with Nadine de Klerk (20 off 14) and later Kayla Reyneke (13 off 8). A productive final few overs enabled South Africa to conclude their innings strongly at 159/6.

In response, New Zealand faced an early setback with the loss of Isabella Gaze, but Georgia Plimmer countered with a brisk 29, setting a positive tone for the chase. Skipper Amelia Kerr then took command, hitting frequent boundaries to maintain a steady scoring rate.

The defining moment came from a powerful partnership between Kerr (31) and Devine, who collaborated for a crucial 46-run stand, putting the hosts firmly back in contention. Following Kerr's dismissal, Devine continued to assert dominance, unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes, culminating in a match-winning 64 off just 34 deliveries.

Although Chloe Tryon managed to take a couple of wickets to momentarily disrupt the chase, New Zealand maintained control. Devine's exit in the final overs did little to affect the outcome, as Maddy Green and Brooke Halliday calmly finished the chase with nine balls remaining.

For South Africa, Tryon stood out as the leading bowler, while Dercksen excelled with both bat and ball.

Brief Scores: South Africa 159-6 in 20 overs (Annerie Dercksen 55*, Sune Luus 30; Jess Kerr 3-16, Amelia Kerr 1-32) lost to New Zealand 160-4 in 18.3 overs (Sophie Devine 64, Amelia Kerr 31; Chloe Tryon 2-13, Annerie Dercksen 1-20) by six wickets.