LONDON — South Africa beat New Zealand by a single run to win Group D at the Twenty20 World Cup at Lord's on Tuesday.
Both sides had already qualified for the Super 8s but didn't let up as South Africa successfully defended the lowest total in a Twenty20 international.
The Africans made a modest 128-7 from their 20 overs, but a miserly spell from Roelof van der Merwe, who took 2-14 from his four overs, restricted the Kiwis to 127-5.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith believed the experience would serve his side well in the Super 8s.
"I think we were probably 20 runs short," he admitted. "We lost our way a bit when we lost Jacques (Kallis), but we did quite well to keep them under 130, because we knew it wasn't an easy wicket. It was a great effort and it was really useful to have a pressurized game and have a low total to defend."
Smith scored 33 and put on an opening stand of 49 with Kallis, who hit 24, but South Africa lost its next nine wickets for 77 thanks to an excellent fielding display from New Zealand.
Ian Butler was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 2-13.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum - standing in for the injured Daniel Vettori - made 57, but his side's run chase was hindered by the early losses of Martin Guptil (six), caught by Van der Merwe off Dale Steyn, and Neil Broom (one), who offered a return catch to Kallis.
Ross Taylor suffered a suspected hamstring injury as he narrowly avoided being run out and needed to bat with a runner, but he put on a half-century stand with McCullum before he was bowled for 22 by Van der Merwe.
The run rate crept up and the momentum shifted decisively when Van der Merwe had McCullum stumped for 57 by Mark Boucher.
New Zealand needed 15 from the final over, bowled by Wayne Parnell.
Kallis dropped Jacob Oram with three balls to go, leaving the Kiwis needing eight from the last two balls.
Oram hit the next ball for four, but failed to connect properly with the final delivery and made just two runs before he was run out, handing the Proteas a win by the narrowest possible margin.
"I though the bowling went really well and the fielding," McCullum said. "We had to be happy to get them out for under 130, but every time we put together a partnership we were unable to accelerate."
Earlier, New Zealand's excellent display in the field limited South Africa.
The opening stand ended in the eighth over when Kallis was run out by a direct hit from McCullum.
Gibbs (three) and Smith went with the total on 63, while Van der Merwe was out for a duck two runs later. The prize wicket of AB de Villiers - also run out by a direct hit from Guptil - for 15 ended South Africa's chances of posting a healthy score.
Boucher was caught for six by McCullum off Butler in a vain bid to accelerate the run rate in the 18th over.
JP Duminy went in the penultimate over for 29, chipping a ball from Kyle Mills straight to Broom, one delivery after hitting the same bowler for a six. The South Africans managed just six runs from the final six balls.
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