Foxes star is Black Caps' hero

* The best way to see Grant Elliott in action for Leicestershire Foxes this season is through our T20 Season Ticket - just £70 for all seven home group matches!

Leicestershire Foxes all-rounder Grant Elliott showed nerves of steel to guide New Zealand into the ICC World Cup Final in breathtaking fashion against South Africa.

With five to win off two deliveries, Elliott hit Dale Steyn for a mighty six over straight mid-wicket as the Black Caps booked their place in the showpiece game against Australia or India.

Leicestershire’s recent NatWest T20 Blast second overseas signing ended on an assured unbeaten 84 off 73 balls as the Kiwis successfully chased down a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 298 in 43 overs.

Elliott told ESPNCricinfo.com: "I don't think this win is for myself, it's not for the team, it's for everyone here because the support has been amazing. We wanted to take it as deep as we could. I think we timed the pace of the innings to perfection.

"You've got 40,000 fans screaming at you every ball, it's been an absolute pleasure playing at Eden Park and playing in front of the home crowd. Hopefully, all our supporters got what they wanted. We've had two close, amazing games here now."

The Proteas innings was reduced to the same amount of overs because of the weather and they reached 281-5. Francois du Plessis scored 82, AB de Villiers was 62 not out and David Miller struck 49 off just 18 balls between the showers.

Sixteen were added to that target after the D-L calculations. Brendon McCullum’s quickfire half-century got New Zealand off to a flying start with the score on 71-0 after just five overs.

South Africa clawed things back once McCullum went for 59 (26 balls) and when Ross Taylor was out, the score was 149-4 in the 22^nd over.

Elliott and Corey Anderson (58 off 57 balls) added 103 for the fifth wicket to keep the Black Caps on course but they still needed 46 off 30 deliveries when the left-hander was dismissed.

Luke Ronchi was dismissed and that brought Dan Vettori to the crease with 29 required from 17 balls. The experienced duo kept cool; the slow left armer hit a crucial boundary in the last over before Elliott finished the game in style.

* Elliott had previously scored 27 off just eleven deliveries as New Zealand beat West Indies in the quarter-finals. Martin Guptill's stunning 237 not out helped New Zealand score 393-6 and the Black Caps bowled West Indies out for 250.