So often accused of choking, South Africa were for once on the right side of a late collapse as New Zealand capitulated to hand the Proteas a three-run win in the third and final T20 in Auckland.

In a reverse of last year's World Cup encounter in which the South Africans lost having put themselves in a winning position, it was the men from the Land of the Long, White Cloud that will be wondering how it all went so wrong this time.

The Black Caps looked so comfortable for much of the game but threw it away with an almighty wobble in the closing overs.

From needing 17 off 24 to win with six wickets in hand, the hosts conspired to put themselves in a position where they needed six off one. Marchant de Lange proceeded to bowl a no-ball and hand Tim Southee the chance to hit four to win off the free hit, but he was unable to make contact and with that the game was gone.

Having been put into bat, the Proteas lost the wickets of big hitters Richard Levi (11) and Albie Morkel (10) early in the piece. All the while Hashim Amla (33) held matters together but when he fell in the eighth over with the total on just 59, the visitors were in a spot of bother.

Skipper AB de Villiers (29) and JP Duminy (38) provided the necessary stability with a fourth-wicket partnership of 62. Just as it seemed the Proteas would explode, Rob Nicol put a different spin on proceedings.

Having taken a great catch to dismiss Levi, Nicol ran out Duminy with some smart work off his own bowling before bowling de Villiers. The South African captain had injured his hamstring earlier in the innings and appeared to be taking some strain in the build up to his dismissal. Justin Ontong (six) followed two balls later, adjudged lbw off Nicol's bowling, and suddenly the Proteas were back in trouble.

Wayne Parnell (22) aside the tail where unable to muster too many runs having been left with five overs to wield the willow and with that an average total of 165 for seven was produced - a disappointment after they had been 109 for three after 12 overs.

New Zealand openers Nicol (33) and Martin Guptill (26) set the platform with the bat as they made the most of the Proteas bowler's obsession with a line that was far too straight. Nineteen extras were conceded in total, with twelve wides a sign of poor discipline.

However, Jesse Ryder looked set to steal the plaudits with the bat. Returning to the team after a spell on the sidelines, the mercurial left-hander showed he has lost no power in his absence, cracking 52 off 42.

It all went wrong for Ryder, though. An awkward stutter late in his innings in which he took more six balls to move from 49 to 50 and then handed two easy catching opportunities - the first of which was grassed by Justin Ontong, the second pouched by Morne Morkel - put New Zealand on the back foot and they never recovered.

The loss will come as a massive blow to the Black Caps heading into the 50-over series, while the South Africans deserve much credit for never giving up on the game.