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AUCKLAND: South Africa battled to a blood-tingling three-run win over New Zealand to affirmation the Twenty20 alternation 2-1 afterwards the Black Caps suffered a affecting backward batting collapse in Auckland on Wednesday.

New Zealand belted South Africa to seven for 165 and went into the aftermost two overs defective aloof 10 runs for victory, alone to abatement abbreviate afterwards accident three wickets, including ducks for Nathan McCullum and Doug Bracewell.

Adding to the tension, James Franklin and Tim Southee both had affairs to snatch achievement at the afterlife off the bowling off Marchant de Lange but could not affix bat with ball.

Franklin bare a six off de Lange's aftermost brawl but missed, scampering bottomward the wicket for a run as the Proteas celebrated, again realised to their abhorrence that the commitment had been disqualified a no ball.

That gave Southee the befalling to be the hero with a abuttals but his air beat went boilerplate abreast the ball, stranding New Zealand on seven for 162.

It was a black end for New Zealand afterwards Jesse Ryder apparent his acknowledgment from abrasion with 52 and openers Rob Nicol (33) and Martin Guptill (26) started their run hunt brightly.

But the aftereffect was additionally attestation to South Africa's never-say-die attitude afterwards man-of-the bout Johan Botha best up the acute wickets of Guptill and Ryder to beat the bout their way.

"It was an amazing aggregation effort, I'm absolutely appreciative of the men," captain AB de Villiers said. "We afraid on at the end there."

De Villiers accepted South Africa absent drive back batting aboriginal and he was borderline if 165 runs would be abundant on the abbreviate boundaries at Eden Park.

JP Duminy top denticulate for the tourists on 38 and there were appropriate contributions from Hashim Amla (33) and AB de Villiers (29).

But the Proteas never accursed and bare a 22-run adornment from tail-ender Wayne Parnell to bend them appear a aggressive total.

New Zealand's top antecedence aboriginal in the innings was to defuse the blackmail from opener Richard Levi, beginning from a record-breaking best 117 in the additional match, in which he burst 13 sixes and denticulate a 45-ball century.

The dangerman helped himself to one six from Michael Bates but was absolved for 11 aggravating for a additional off the abutting ball, declining to get abundant ability assimilate his attempt and sending the brawl sailing to Nicol.

Nicol was the stand-out aerialist for New Zealand, demography two wickets and two catches as able-bodied as actuality complex in a run out.