A strong batting performance by Albie Morkel and AB de Villiers lifted South Africa to a strong winning total of 170 for just 4 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, giving the proteas a 13 run victory, after New Zealand could only muster 157 for 7 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

South Africa finally made some changes to the top order that people had been asking for: Gibbs replaced Loots Bosman and this let Graeme Smith open with Jacques Kallis. In my opinion, this gave the top more balance and perhaps more familiarity. Smith still didn't look his solid best as he played a hard fought 14 of 12 balls. Smith is likely to be a bit rusty after being sidelined with his broken finger and he's most likely just lacking match practise - but you're unlikely to be able keep him out for too long.

There has been some criticism of late that South Africa start too slowly, and this is particularly aimed at Kallis. Kallis normally ends on a good strike rate, but some feel he puts too much pressure on the other batsmen until he gets into things. He may have silenced a lot of those critics with a six and four in only the second over as well as continued hitting. Kallis was looking to continue his good form until he was caught by a great effort from Southee off Oram's bowling for 31 from 26 balls after hitting 2 sixes. Gibbs and de Villiers consolidated in the middle overs picking up ones and twos and the odd boundary where they could. Gibbs then unleashed the beast that we all know with 2 big sixes before he too went out (30 off 24) trying to go for another big one.

Enter Albie Morkel. Morkel hadn't been in the best form of late, but he made up for it here hitting the first of his 5 sixes off just his third ball faced. De Villiers rotated the strike well and hit the big shots often too. Morkel was eventually run out in the final over trying to steal a single to keeper Hopkins, but not before he helped put SA in a commanding position with 40 runs off just 18 balls and sharing a partnership of 72 off 38 balls with de Villiers (47* off 39).

At the other end of the lineup, Johan Botha was called up to replace Roelof van der Merwe. Botha is a very clever bowler and this was a good move from the Proteas. The bowling started well with the first breakthrough coming off the 5th ball of the innings where Gibbs took a beautiful one handed catch diving low to his right off Langeveldt's bowling. From then on, South Africa took wickets at regular intervals which never allowed New Zealand to settle.

Steyn bowled with brilliant pace, reaching just under the 150km/h mark, and picked up just the one wicket of Jacob Oram out LBW. His economy of just over 6 was also good. Morne Morkel and Botha each picked up two wickets with their accurate bowling; Botha in particular out-thinking Ryder with flight. Kallis bowled consistently and cheaply, didn't take any wickets, but he did his restrictive job well.

In true Gibbs fashion, you couldn't keep him out the game for too long as he took another good catch at midwicket, followed by another not long later.

There were definitely some nervous Protea supporters towards the end of the New Zealanders innings as the Black Caps always kept in reach of South Africa's total. In fact, they were ahead of the South African score up until the 15th over before a couple of tight overs from Langeveldt and Steyn back into the pound seats. Nathan McCullum did well to get close, but in the end, the predicted good score of 160 by Sunil Gavaskar was enough as New Zealand fell 13 short. Albie Morkel picked up the man of the match award with his big, strong hitting, definitely setting up the win for the SA side.

The changes made left the side much more balanced in both the batting and bowling departments. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, though. There were perhaps too many extras conceded and one or two drop catches, but that will come with rhythm. Unlike last night's match, the batting was backed up well by a solid bowling performance all round from the Proteas. We're still waiting for the batting and bowling to come together properly, and i reckon, after seeing both sides of it now, the opposition will be fearing when that happens. This strong win will give the boys good confidence going into Saturday's match with England.

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Forever Proteas!