Fast bowler Dale Steyn set up a series-clinching 204-run win for South Africa on the fourth day of the second and final Test against New Zealand at SuperSport Park on Tuesday.

Steyn took three wickets with his first 11 balls of the innings and finished with five for 33 as New Zealand were bowled out for 195 despite a defiant innings of 76 by Henry Nicholls.

It looked as though it would be easy for the hosts when Steyn and Vernon Philander ripped through the Kiwis' top four batsmen for seven runs inside the first four overs.

But the left-handed Nicholls, playing in his sixth Test match, displayed courage and concentration in making his second Test half-century and highest score to delay South Africa's celebrations.

He found a similarly determined partner in BJ Watling, who made 32 in a two-hour, 68-run fifth wicket partnership, while Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell and Tim Southee all provided varying degrees of resistance.

Nicholls was last man out after batting for 255 minutes and facing 140 balls.

SCORES IN BRIEF

SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 481 for 8 decl

NEW ZEALAND: First innings 214

SOUTH AFRICA: Second innings 132 for 7 decl (De Kock 50; Southee 3-46, Boult 2-44)

NEW ZEALAND: Second innings 195 (Nicholls 76; Steyn 5-33, Philander 2-34)

Result: South Africa won by 204 runs and clinched the two-match series 1-0.

Player-of-the-match: Quinton de Kock.