The skipper of New Zealand, Brendon McCullum, was pleased with the performance of his team in the ODIs vs. South Africa besides losing the T20s and Tests.

The Black Caps triumphed in the three matches One Day International series 2-1 convincingly. They started the trip to South Africa while competing in the three Twenty20s. The first game was held on December 21, 2012, at Kingsmead, Durban and was lost by the visitors by a huge margin of eight wickets. They came back strongly in the second match by winning it by eight wickets as well on December 23, 2012, at Buffalo Park, East London. The third and final T20 was played on December 26, 2012, at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, that was won by the hosts by 33 runs and the home side clinched the series 2-1.

The Kiwis were humiliated in the two Test series by the Proteas as they were outplayed in all departments of the game. South Africa won the first Test by a big margin of an innings and 27 runs within three days on January 4, 2013, at Newlands, Cape Town. The show of power continued from the home side in the second Test which they won by a mammoth margin of an innings and 193 runs on January 14, 2013, and they whitewashed the series 2-0.

Team New Zealand did not give up, they regrouped themselves, tortured the hosts with a 2-1 defeat in the three One Day International series and lifted up the confidence of their fans and the team management. Brendon McCullum summarised the series by saying,

“We competed in the Twenty20s, but South Africa deserved the result; in Tests we were blown off the park by a team at the top of their game. It was a learning opportunity to see the best in action and see how far we need to improve, but to win the ODI series has been satisfying, not only for the group of players, but also for the management and the fans.”

The spirited unit of Kiwis entered the ODI series on a high note by winning the first match against their mighty opponents South Africa by one wicket on January 19, 2013, at Boland Park, Paarl. The visitors continued with their form and won the second ODI by 27 runs on January 22, 2013, at DE Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley. The three match ODI series was folded on January 25, 2013, at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom. The Black Caps posted 260 runs after losing 9 wickets in 50 overs and the thrilling match lasted until the last ball. The Proteas required three runs to win the match and the Kiwis needed one wicket but Ryan McLaren from the home side, dispatched a towering six and powered his team with a much needed victory.

New Zealand won the ODI series 2-1 and their captain, Brendon McCullum was highly satisfied with the achievement of his team which bounced back after losing both the T20 and the Test series. He said,

“It would have been great to win the series 3-0. But winning the series, achieving what we’ve achieved in this series and even how we’ve played today as well, we’ve showed the characteristics that we want to be known for.”