The left-hander’s 101 off 107 balls anchored a successful chase of 288 at the Diamond Oval, giving the hosts an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the six-match series.

Kirsten’s innings was a reminder of his quality in the shorter format. With his timing and placement, he kept South Africa on course against a New Zealand attack defending a challenging total.

His innings included 10 fours, with a 172-run second-wicket partnership alongside Jacques Kallis forming the backbone of South Africa’s chase.

Kallis contributed 93 off 111 deliveries, striking seven fours and two sixes, before falling just short of a century of his own.

Both batsmen were dismissed before the finish, leaving South Africa with work to do. Nicky Boje and Mark Boucher provided the finishing touches, remaining unbeaten on 20 and 18 respectively as the hosts reached 289-5 with seven balls remaining.

Earlier, New Zealand had posted 287-6, built around contributions from Roger Twose, who made 89, captain Stephen Fleming, who scored 85, and opener Chris Nevin, who added 68.

But the day belonged to Kirsten, whose player-of-the-match performance underlined his worth as a one-day opener capable of guiding his team through a demanding chase.

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