First ODI at Centurion, Pretoria: SOUTH AFRICA 304/7 in 50 overs (Amla 124, Roussouw 89 beat the BLACKCAPS 284 in 48.1 overs (Latham 60, Williamson 47, Neesham 41, Munro 32) by 20 runs
A Hashim Amla hundred — equalling Herschelle Gibbs' record for the most ODI centuries for South Africa, and a clinical bowling performance saw the fired-up Proteas claim the opening One-Day International against the BLACKCAPS.
The hosts' imposing 304/7 from their 50 overs was set up by a 185-run stand between Amla (124 from 126) and Rilee Rossouw (89 off 112) for the second wicket.
Sent into bat, South Africa had been sitting pretty at 219/1 heading into the final 10 overs, and looked likely to post a score in excess of 320. But they lost momentum coming home, thanks to a good fightback from the BLACKCAPS' bowling attack.
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Adam Milne's opening five-over spell had cost just 16 runs as he got back to his rapid-fire best, and he was well supported by Mitchell McClenaghan (2-72) who bowled with trademark aggression and produced two run outs on the final two balls of the innings.
Looking to win their first ODI at Centurion from seven starts, the BLACKCAPS in reply rallied after a disastrous start to their innings.
Martin Guptill had suffered a hand injury attempting a catch in the field, and was therefore replaced as opener by Luke Ronchi. Ronchi fell in an eventful first over from Dale Steyn that included two dropped catches and a wicket.
Kane Williamson (47) and Tom Latham (60) steadied things with a patient and purposeful partnership of 104 runs until the skipper was caught in the 23rd over looking to hit Imran Tahir over the top.
That brought Guptill to the middle, and the 28-year-old from Auckland bravely took on the challenge with an attacking cameo of 25 from 23 balls despite the obvious pain in his left hand. Subsequent x-rays thankfully would show no break.
He fell in the 28th over when he was caught at long on by David Miller. Two overs later, Grant Elliott (4) joined him in the pavilion, caught at first slip by the same man.
Latham, the rock of the innings until that point, was dismissed the following over as Vernon Philander trapped him in front. All of a sudden the win seemed beyond reach. In two overs, the BLACKCAPS had gone from being 148/2 to 158/5 in the defining period of the match.
Jimmy Neesham and Coin Munro fought valiantly, but the BLACKCAPS couldn’t find the boundary often enough in the final 15 overs.
Williamson had elected to bowl first in hot and dry conditions. The hosts had got off to a good start with Amla and Morne van Wyk (16) putting on 46 for the first wicket before McClenaghan got the breakthrough in the ninth over.
That brought together Amla and Rossouw and the pair batted for 33 overs to set up the game for South Africa. Their partnership was nevertheless short of the South African record for the second wicket of 247, set by Amla and Faf du Plessis against Ireland earlier this year in Canberra.
It ended in the 42nd over when McClenaghan bowled Rossouw 11 runs short of what would have been his third ODI ton.
The loudest cheer of the day came at Centurion when star AB De Villiers arrived at the crease, but the skipper went for nine when he was caught in the deep by Tom Latham from Milne’s fierce bowling.
Amla, who played shots all around the ground in a sparkling innings that brought up his 21st ODI century for his country, was finally dismissed when he was bowled by Milne in the 45th over.
From there, South Africa put on 46 runs in the final five overs as the BLACKCAPS picked up regular wickets in the death overs.
The BLACKCAPS felt they had fought back well to restrict the Proteas to an achievable total and will look to bounce back in the second ODI at Potchefstroom on Sunday. 
