More from New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum: "It was a great advert for cricket. Everyone that was here will remember it for the rest of their lives. We have given ourselves a chance of World Cup glory and I'm proud of our efforts.

"We knew we just had to hang in there and give ourselves a chance. At the end what a great innings from Grant Elliott. He came out of the wilderness not long ago and now just played a match-winning innings in a World Cup semi-final."

Image source, AFP

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor:, external Woohoo. Who's coming to Melbourne????

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"To be fair to South Africa, someone up there doesn't want them in a final, but their time will come - they're oozing with talent. Before that rain break, they were going to post 360-370 and that would have been too much for New Zealand. You can't talk about choking."

Daily Mirror cricket correspondent Dean Wilson:, external AB de Villiers and Brendon McCullum two magnificent leaders around which their teams and countries can rally. Different class.

More from New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott who scored 84 not out and hit the winning six: "Hopefully, all our supporters got what they wanted. We've had two close, amazing games here now.

"We will probably have a few drinks in the changing rooms. I don't like to get too high or low - I prefer to reflect later - but it is a great moment to share with family and the team. The win is for the supporters.

"I think we left it a little too late. I can say that now even though we won it. South Africa have a world-class unit and they bowled well. We got a bit of luck but it was our day.

"The feeling in the team is that it is destined. That is how I felt. It feels like it was meant to be. The best team on the day will win the final. We have nothing to lose. Someone has to step up."

Image source, AFP

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"I honestly thought South Africa had done enough with three or four overs to go, but Grant Elliott stayed so calm out there. You have to feel sorry for Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, great professionals who gave it everything out there, but hats off to New Zealand."

Kristin Carmichael: Notice there was no sledging, aggro or nastiness? They just got on with it, played cricket & gave us a game to be remembered!

A very good point, Kristin. It can be done.

South Africa have entertained - but fallen short. Thoughts now turn to those who might not be around at the next tournament in four years' time. Dale Steyn, for instance, will turn 36 in the summer of 2019, will he manage to get his battered body through another four years of international cricket between now and then? Hashim Amla will be 36. De Villiers 35, Morne Morkel 34. And Imran Tahir, who will be 36 on Friday, will be 40 by the time the next World Cup comes around.

Image source, Getty Images

More from South Africa captain AB de Villiers: "It was an amazing game. I couldn't ask for anything more. We're hurting over this. We play for the people back home, hopefully the passion we showed made a difference and that people can still be proud of us, even though we have lost tonight.

"There have been some wonderful performances. We had a wonderful thing going. We are a unit, but the unit came unstuck today. There have been very good individual performances throughout the tournament. To the teams in the final, all the best for whoever wins."

Australia head coach Darren Lehmann: Congrats @NZcricket1 and congrats @BrendanMcCullum and team, loved the ANZAC spirit, well done to Grant Elliott!

Ex-New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming: What an unbelievable game. So proud of the @BLACKCAPS and what they have achieved. Also feel the raw pain of @OfficialCSA on an amazing day.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers on TMS: "It is really painful. We have no regrets. We left it all out on the field. We had opportunities and it will take us a long time to get over this. All the best to New Zealand today. They played a great game. I was happy with the total, we had chances in the field and didn't take them and came undone against a team who played better cricket.

"It was an electric vibe tonight and probably the best crowd I've ever played in front of. We go away with sore hearts."

Image source, AP

Ashley Graham: Sport is a difficult mistress at times like this but what a finale. Both teams deserve to be in the final really.

Ilyas Najib: 1992, 2003, and now 2015, South Africa, rain and World Cups just don't mix.

Spare a thought for captain AB de Villiers, being lined up for yet another post-match interview when he must feel like hell, or JP Duminy, who may well replay that crucial dropped catch - when he cannoned into Farhaan Behardien who seemed to have it covered - thousands of times before he goes to sleep tonight. If he can sleep.

Here's some reaction from other players who've played at this World Cup:

Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene: What a semi final! I feel for the SA boys. Well done to NZ.

Australia batsman Steve Smith: Amazing game of cricket!!! Well done New Zealand.

England seamer Chris Woakes: Proper game of cricket!! So good to see one of the good guys @grantelliottnz see NZ home. Well done New Zealand!

New Zealand now doing a lap of honour around Eden Park. After eight game on home soil, they must now cross the Tasman Sea - aka "The Ditch" - to the cavernous MCG, where they will play Australia or India on Sunday.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum on TMS: "These boys, I am so proud of them. A lesser team would have laid down today. To see Grant come in and be as calm as he was... we've given ourselves a chance of the big prize. Credit to South Africa, they gave as good as they got. I feel for them at the moment. But out boys were outstanding. And it was a great semi-final.

"It was important we created a run-rate early on. But it all pales in comparison to that innings from Grant. We've got one shot at glory now and we look forward to Melbourne."

Image source, AP

Alan Simon: Great win by NZ but South Africa would've been out of sight had it not been for the rain break. Big slice of luck for the Kiwis.

Ashley Wells: If that were England, we'd have lost by 150 runs and then claimed we were making progress.

New Zealand's Grant Elliott: "It is great. I don't think this win is for myself, or the team, it is for everyone here. The support has been amazing.

"We just wanted to take it as deep as we could. Corey (Anderson) batted well and we timed the innings to perfection. When you have 40,000 fans screaming at you every ball, it has been an absolute pleasure playing at Eden Park and playing in front of the home crowd.

"We have had a good run, this is the first final we have been in and we will approach it as any other match."

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"This is the first time New Zealand have won 10 consecutive ODIs."

New Zealand batsman Grant Elliott, who made an unbeaten 84 from 73 balls and hit the winning runs, is handed the man-of-the-match award by the unmistakeable figure of Windies legend Clive Lloyd. We'll hear from him shortly.