Steyn shines as SA warm up with a win
Pace bowler Dale Steyn bagged four wickets as South Africa fine-tuned for the World T20 tournament with a nine-run win over New Zealand in a warm-up match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Monday.
New Zealand won the toss and sent the Proteas in to bat, after the start was delayed due to a damp pitch, and SA captain AB de Villiers anchored the innings, guiding them to 186/6 in their 20 overs.
In reply, the Black Caps were restricted to 177/8 as Steyn picked up three scalps in one over, returning 4-25.
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor put up a fight, contributing 74 runs off 42 balls, but he was eventually removed by speedster Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
Steyn dismissed Nathan McCullum, Rob Nicol and Doug Bracewell in the 19th over to prevent New Zealand from putting up a real challenge at the death.
Earlier, openers Richard Levi and Faf du Plessis had got the Proteas off to a solid start, each contributing 24 runs, before De Villiers took control, smashing 54 from 30 deliveries before he was removed in the 19th over.
Seam bowler Adam Milne was the pick of the Black Caps attack, taking 2-26, while left-armer James Franklin removed JP Duminy and Justin Ontong from successive deliveries, bagging 2-31.
The World T20 tournament starts on Tuesday when hosts Sri Lanka face Zimbabwe in Hambantota.
South Africa, playing in the same group, square up against Zimbabwe in their opening match in Hambantota on Thursday.
