NZ beat weakened Proteas by 281 runs in first test
New Zealand crushed South Africa by 281 runs in four days to take a 1-0 lead in the Tegel test series at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.
Set an unlikely 529 to win after New Zealand declared on their overnight total of 179 for four, the Proteas were dismissed a second time for 247 in 80 overs shortly before the close with tall paceman Kyle Jamieson the most successful bowler with 4/58 while left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner collected 3/59.
No-one expected an inexperienced, largely third-choice South African test team to win this match and so it proved as they were outbatted and outbowled on a good test pitch that lasted very well. New Zealand were the dominant force throughout, starting with their first innings total of 511 thanks to a superb double-century from Rachin Ravindra and a gritty ton from Kane Williamson. Williamson then repeated the dose in the Black Caps’ second innings, the fifth Kiwi to achieve the feat.
The South Africans bowled steadily throughout the match but missed key catches on the first day with both Williamson and Ravindra dropped at critical moments. They were also almost certainly a (spin) bowler shy with neither Dane Piedt nor Shaun von Berg considered. Their poor first innings of 162, and a number of soft dismissals, was also a major problem for them.
It would have been something of a moral success if the tourists had been able to take the match into the final day but, after periods of successful resistance, they lost wickets in clusters throughout the day. Twice they lost two wickets for five runs, and once two wickets for three runs, fatal blows to their project.
The big plus for the Proteas was a flamboyant 87 in 96 balls, including 13 fours and three sixes, from the super-talented David Bedingham and his fifth-wicket partnership of 105 in 143 balls with Keegan Petersen that lit up the afternoon for the Proteas.
Bedingham’s private battle with New Zealand pacemen Tim Southee and Matt Henry – and their attempt to bounce him out – was the entertainment highlight of the day, resulting in most of his fours and all of his sixes as he pulled and hooked to the boundary. Unfortunately for him, his one-note aggressive response to every short ball meant that it was inevitable that a mishit would come sooner or later. That he wasn’t able to make a smart adjustment to the situation probably cost him a maiden test century as he went down bravely but recklessly, Bazball style.
South Africa began their second innings in the worst possible way when both openers, skipper Neil Brand and Eddie Moore, fell in the first four overs to the pace of Tim Southee and Matt Henry in overcast conditions that encouraged swing.
Brand was the first to go, bowled through the gate to a delivery that swung extravagantly into him from Southee. The South African captain enjoyed a six-wicket haul in the New Zealand first innings, and eight wickets in the match, but in his primary function as a batsman he has had a disappointing match, departing for four and three.
Moore would have been especially disappointed with his dismissal, driving Henry tamely to Devon Conway at cover to the first ball of his second over. That left South Africa wobbling on five for two as Zubayr Hamza joined Raynard van Tonder with a mountain to climb.
The pair showed plenty of grit as they slowly played themselves in. Hamza, especially, played some fine shots off the back foot through the covers while Van Tonder, wobbly at first, gradually got his bearings. The pair offered gritty resistance to take South Africa to 62 for two at lunch but their resistance crumbled shortly after the break
Once again the Black Caps claimed two wickets for five runs as they got rid of Van Tonder (31 off 83 balls) and then Hamza (36 off 92 balls) who put together a hard-fought third-wicket partnership of 63 in 163 balls.
Both men went to soft dismissals off the bowling of Jamieson, with Van Tonder edging a wide half-volley to the only slip while Hamza attempted to fetch a short, rising delivery from well outside his off-stump, scooping the ball to Southee at mid-on.
Once again the South Africans built momentum, largely through Bedingham but also with the solid support of Petersen, before the pair departed within three runs of each other, Bedingham holing out to deep midwicket while Petersen was well taken at fine leg by Ravindra.
Clyde Fortuin unluckily fell to part-timer Glenn Phillips, caught via a rebound off short leg before some stout resistance from Ruan de Swardt (34*) and a few blows from Dane Paterson saw the innings to its conclusion.
Report Day 1Report Day 2Report Day 3
NEW ZEALAND: Tim Southee (capt), Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry
SOUTH AFRICA: Neil Brand (capt), Edward Moore, Raynard van Tonder, Zubayr Hamza, David Bedingham, Keegan Petersen, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Duanne Olivier, Tshepo Moreki, Dane Paterson
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