A wet outfield in Edgbaston slightly delayed the start and reduced the match to 49 overs a piece, but, when play did get underway, New Zealand won the toss and invited South Africa to bat first, who suffered an early loss when Quinton de Kock was bowled by Trent Boult. Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis put on 50, but South Africa were struggling to score quickly, and du Plessis was then bowled by Lockie Ferguson for 23.
Then Amla and Aiden Markram shared a stand of 52 before Amla was bowled by Mitchell Santner for 55. It had taken him 111 balls to accumulate those runs. Markram and Rassie van der Dussen tried to up the scoring, but then Markram fell for 38, caught by Colin Munro, with Colin de Grandhomme the bowler.
David Miller and van der Dussen then came together and added 72 for the fifth wicket, until Miller who had hit one six, was caught by Boult off Ferguson. Two overs later, Phehlukwayo gave Ferguson a third wicket, departing without scoring, but Rabada and Chris Morris helped their side reach 241 – 6 at the end of their 49 overs. Van der Dussen, who hit 3 sixes, was unbeaten on 67, and Morris was 6 not out at the end.
New Zealand had an early loss of their own to deal with in their reply, with Kagiso Rabada having Munro caught and bowled. Martin Guptill and his skipper Kane Williamson then put on 60, before three wickets fell in quick succession.
First to go was Guptill who hit his wicket to a ball form Andile Phehlukwayo, and was out for 35. Ten both Ross Taylor and Tom Latham were caught behind off the bowling of Morris. Williamson and Jimmy Neesham ground out a partnership of 57 but, when Neesham had reached 23, he was caught by Amla at slip, with Morris again the bowler.
However, Williamson and de Grandhomme won the match for their side with a stand of 91 for the sixth wicket. They had their luck along the way – South Africa dropped de Grandhomme earlier on, and failed to review a delivery which showed Williamson caught behind. And they were made to pay for it in the end. De Grandhomme fell before the end for 60, caught by du Plessis off Lungu Ngidi, having hit 2 sixes. But Williamson reached his 12th ODI century for his side, finishing on 106 not out at the end, accompanied at the finish by Santner, as the Kiwis reached their target with 9 balls to spare.
The defeat all but eliminates South Africa from this year’s World Cup.