Black Caps thumped by Proteas

The Black Caps have suffered a nine wicket defeat to South Africa in their T20 World Cup warmup game in Brisbane.

Martin Guptill
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

After being put into bat first at Allan Border Field, New Zealand was rolled for just 98 in the 18th over with opener Martin Guptill top scoring with 26.

The Proteas then cruised to their target in the 12th over with the loss of just one wicket.

Finn Allen, who was also keeping wickets, hit a six off the very first ball of the innings, but was then trapped lbw by Wayne Parnell two balls later.

Parnell then bowled Kane Williamson for three in his next over.

Glenn Phillips and Guptill got New Zealand through to 53 before Phillips fell for 20.

Wickets then continued to fall at a regular rate.

Spinner Keshav Maharaj took three wickets for 17 runs, while Parnell and Tabraiz Shamsi grabbed two wickets each.

In reply, South African openers Reeza Hendricks and Rilee Rossouw didn’t appear to have the same problems against the Black Caps attack.

Rossouw finished unbeaten on 54, while Hendricks made 27 before being caught off the bowling of Ish Sodhi for 27.

Devon Conway didn’t bat and Trent Boult didn’t bowl for New Zealand in the game, while Daryl Mitchell was unavailable as he recovers from his broken finger.

New Zealand’s second and final World Cup game is against India tomorrow.

Their first World Cup game is against Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

Meanwhile twice winners West Indies crashed to a shocking 42-run defeat by Scotland in their World Cup opener in Hobart, the second major upset inside two days at the global showpiece tournament.

The Caribbean side, who won the event in 2012 and 2016, were bundled out for 118 chasing 161 to beat the Scots a day after former champions Sri Lanka lost their Group A opener to Namibia.

With the top two sides from each of the two groups set to progress to the Super 12 stage, the defeat by Scotland left West Indies facing a must-win match against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.