Christchurch, March 25 (IANS) Stand-in skipper Jimmy Neesham admitted that New Zealand’s below-par performances in the final games cost them the T20I series against the South Africa cricket team, after the hosts went down by 33 runs in the decider at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Wednesday.

Chasing 188, New Zealand could only manage 154/8 despite brief resistance in the middle overs, as South Africa sealed the five-match series 3-2.

Reflecting on the campaign, Neesham said the team did well to bounce back after an early setback but failed to maintain momentum towards the end. “It was obviously a tough start, and then we fought back in games two and three to go 2-1 up. But unfortunately, a couple of subpar performances at the back end of the series are disappointing,” he said.

The all-rounder also highlighted the demanding international calendar, with New Zealand players featuring across formats since October. “It’s been a long summer. It’s been going right from October. I’m looking forward to my six days at home since then. That’s just the nature of scheduling these days—there’s cricket on all year round,” he added.

With several first-choice players unavailable, Neesham emphasised the positives of giving opportunities to younger players during the series. “It was a good opportunity with a few guys absent to blood some young players. We saw some good experiences gained, some tough lessons, and some good moments. I think everyone who came in will take away something to make themselves better,” he said.

Assessing the areas of concern, Neesham pointed out that fielding lapses, particularly in the series finale, hurt the team. “I thought we batted and bowled okay, but the fielding was probably a little bit below par, especially tonight. Under lights, it’s never easy, but that’s an area we can improve,” he noted.

He also credited South Africa’s bowling unit for challenging New Zealand’s batters. “They brought a quality bowling attack. It gave a few of our batters a good taste of what the next level is like,” Neesham concluded.

–IANS

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