The White Ferns had a bat first and were bowled out for 228 in 47.5 overs, with the captain, Sophie Devine, carrying the innings with a knock of 93.

Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka each took three New Zealand wickets, while the all-rounder, Marizanne Kapp, bagged two scalps.

Laura Wolvaardt once again produced with the bat with 67 runs while the captain Suné Luus, scored 51, but it was Kapp's knock of 34 that got South Africa over the line with three balls to spare.

Luus lauded Kapp for a second player of the match performance in a row.

“Marizanne has nerves of steel,” said the skipper whose role at the World Cup has been highly understated.

“She definitely takes it better than all of us could, so I think she is the right person for that time of the game.

“She has a lot of experience and she has played all around the world in these situations, so I think she has a very calm head, especially in situations like that.

“She's showing us all how to stay calm and how to back your own skill and finish the game off.”

With 260 runs in four games to date, Wolvaardt, is the second highest run-scorer at the World Cup, and only second to Australia's Rachael Haynes who has 277 from her four innings.

Kapp and Khaka are currently the joint leading wicket-takers at the World Cup with 10 wickets each. Khaka has a slightly better average of 16.50, while Kapp is on 16.90.

South Africa will face Australia on Tuesday at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport