The Black Caps booked their place in the Cricket World Cup final in spectacular fashion last night after a thrilling victory over South Africa – and re-wrote New Zealand cricketing history in the process.

In a script no-one would have dreamed up, the home nation chased down an adjusted total of 298 with just one ball to spare on the back of 84 not-out from South African-born Grant Elliott.

Trent Boult became New Zealand's highest-ever wicket taker at World Cup level with 21, overtaking Geoff Allott's 20 in the 1999 tournament in England. Photo: File.

With 12 runs required from the last over, followed by five from the last two balls, Elliott put Dayle Steyn over mid-on to give the home side the win by four wickets and send Eden Park, and the nation, into raptures.

And it was Elliott's partnership with Corey Anderson, who came in to bat at five, that turned the game in the Blackcaps' favour.

Chasing a revised 298 from 43 overs under the Duckworth Lewis method, Brendon McCullum punched Steyn over cover in the first over, signalling the start of a blitzkrieg attack on the South African quicks.

Their insistence on a short length to McCullum was punished with a series of sixes and fours that sent the home support into a frenzy, and got the chase off to a flyer.

The home side were soon rocketing along at 13s and 14s per over, with Martin Guptill playing the support role to McCullum's hooks and cuts.

He took 25 runs from Steyn's third over, bringing up his own half century from just 22 balls to steer New Zealand to 71 without loss after five.

McCullum went in the seventh over, scooping Morne Morkel to Steyn at mid-on to end on 59 from 26 balls.

Bay of Plenty Kane batsman Kane Williamson was the next to go, pulling Morkel onto his stumps to depart for just six runs.

As he had in the semi-final against the West Indies three days earlier, Ross Taylor formed a useful partnership with Guptill as the pair looked to run the singles and take boundaries, including a huge Guptill six from JP Duminy in the twelfth.

The pair accumulated well until Taylor pushed a ball to point and ran, with Guptill unable to make up ground before being run out for 31.

Enter Grant Elliott, who was off the mark with a four to help establish momentum, before Taylor got a thin edge to Duminy down leg side to end his innings on 30.

Elliott and Corey Anderson kept the run rate required to manageable levels with quick singles, with the latter taking a huge six over mid-wicket from Vernon Philander in the 25th.

The pair charged through the batting power play, with Elliott taking a huge six from Morkel over mid-wicket. Both men then brought up their half centuries in the 36th over as the Auckland crowd roared their approval.

The 100-run partnership was the next milestone, which was brought up in 92 balls, but Anderson went shortly afterwards, skying Morkel to Du Plessis at square leg for 58 crucial runs from 57 balls.

Ronchi made eight before holing out to Steyn at mid-wicket to bring Dan Vettori to the crease. And the dramatic act saw Elliott ride his luck - finding the gap between two colliding fielders in the second-to-last over.

Some 12 runs were needed from the last, and after a couple of scrambled singles and a well-timed Vettori four, Elliott faced Steyn with five needed from the last two balls.

Steyn bowled a length ball that Elliott leaned into and powered over mid-on for six to send the Blackcaps to their first ever Cricket World Cup final.

In the first innings, South African skipper AB de Villiers won the toss and chose to bat first. Their innings saw former Otumoetai College student Trent Boult claim his 20th scalp of the tournament, bowling danger man Hashim Amla for just 10.

And he reached a milestone with his next, becoming New Zealand's highest-ever World Cup wicket-taker when Quinton de Kock' top edge was picked out by Tim Southee at third man.

The Blackcaps will face the winner of tomorrow's second semi-final between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.