Guptill ton floors South Africa

Guptill, who had suffered two separate hamstring strains and not played for a month, scored 180 not out and combined with Ross Taylor (66) in a 180-run partnership to take New Zealand to 280-3 in 45 overs. 

The 30-year-old blasted 11 sixes and 15 boundaries in his swashbuckling 138-ball knock to secure a win which locked the five-match series at 2-2 with the decider at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday. 

South Africa’s 279-8 had been anchored by captain AB de Villiers, who flayed New Zealand bowlers all around Seddon Park in the final few ‘death’ overs to finish on 72  not out. The total had looked to be a difficult one to achieve on the slow-paced pitch but Guptill seized control of the chase with arguably the best innings of his career. He brought up his half century off 38 balls and then had a leg before decision to Dwaine Pretorius on 62 overturned on review before he reached his 12th ODI century from 82 balls, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.

“Guppy was unbelievable. Probably the best knock I’ve ever seen,” New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said. South Africa again paced the start and end of their innings almost to perfection with Hashim Amla (40) and Faf du Plessis (67) giving them a solid foundation. De Villiers then combined with the bowlers to finish off the innings as they scored 104 runs in the final 10 overs, with 72 coming in the final five.