Rob Walter’s tenure as Black Caps head coach has begun with victory over his former charges, as New Zealand sealed a 21-run win over South Africa in Harare.

Even missing their Major League Cricket finalists, the Black Caps held their nerve against an even more depleted Proteas side already on the board in their Twenty20 Tri-Series with Zimbabwe.

Taking to the field for the first time under their new coach, the Black Caps were superior to the Proteas in all three departments - batting, bowling and fielding - and were able to give younger players vital experience in the lead-in to next year’s T20 World Cup.

From a top-order wobble, an unbeaten 103-run partnership between the inexperienced duo of Tim Robinson (75 not out) and debutant Bevon Jacobs (44 not out) laid the platform for New Zealand to post 173/5 from their 20 overs.

Then, showing his wares as the world’s No 1 ranked T20 bowler, Jacob Duffy snared 3/20 with the ball - in tandem with Matt Henry (3/34) - to restrict South Africa to 152.

Victory takes the Black Caps to the top of the T20 Tri-series table, albeit courtesy of net-run rate, with three more matches up their sleeve before a prospective final.

What’s more, Walter can and will likely call on the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell for their next encounter, against Zimbabwe on Friday at the same venue.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Black Caps lost regular wickets to jeopardise their chances of a big total, on a wicket that South Africa had chased down 142 against Zimbabwe two days earlier.

South Africa’s bowlers struck regularly to restrict the Black Caps to 74/5 at the halfway point, as senior batters Devon Conway (9), Daryl Mitchell (5) and Jimmy Neesham (0) departed early, and left New Zealand at 74/5 at the halfway stage.

But Robinson held the innings together, and passed 50 from 42 balls after having been dropped on 26, as he and Jacobs raised a fifty partnership in 39 balls.

Only playing after the delayed arrival of the Black Caps’ Major League Cricket contingent, Robinson made the most of his chance to bat at No 3, and registered his highest score for his country - so far.

With his score on just seven off 13 balls at the end of the power play, Robinson hit six fours and three sixes to walk off with an unbeaten 75 off 57 as the bulk of New Zealand’s total.

But Robinson held the innings together, and passed 50 from 42 balls after having been dropped on 26, as he and Jacobs raised a fifty partnership in 39 balls.

Only playing after the delayed arrival of the Black Caps’ Major League Cricket contingent, Robinson made the most of his chance to bat at No 3, and registered his highest score for his country - so far.

With his score on just seven off 13 balls at the end of the power play, Robinson hit six fours and three sixes to walk off with an unbeaten 75 off 57 as the bulk of New Zealand’s total.