The Proteas are set for a massive innings test defeat in under three days after they were absolutely dominated by New Zealand on day two, with the visitors reaching the close on 34/3, needing another 353 runs just to make the hosts bat again at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Black Caps made 482 all out in their first innings in response to the Proteas disastrous 95 all out, with the visitors then slipping to 4/3 before Temba Bavuma (22no) and Rassie van der Dussen (9no) edged the Proteas to the close.
The second innings started with Tim Southee swinging one into Sarel Erwee’s pads with him out for a second-ball duck, followed by Matt Henry having Dean Elgar caught at slip for an eight ball duck and then Aiden Markram (2) also caught in the slips off Southee leaving the Proteas in tatters.
In the after tea session Matt Henry (58no) and Tom Blundell (96) drove the final nail into the Proteas coffin with a 94-run last-wicket partnership off 101 balls to end any hopes the visitors had of trying to save the match, giving them a 387 run lead.
Their stand was absolutely disheartening for the beleaguered Proteas, who watched as the star of the match Henry slammed them all around the ground, while Blundell also got in on the action.
It was another drop however that typified the performance of the Proteas, their seventh of the innings, as Henry on 15 hit a ball from Marco Jansen in the air to the point boundary where Erwee had to run to his right and dive one handed, but the chance wouldn’t stick.
It cost an extra 77 runs, before Jansen finally found the edge of Blundell’s bat with him just four short of a hundred, with the umpire not giving it and the Proteas reviewing and proved correct.
After tea, Blundell and Kyle Jamieson (15) resumed on 356/7, but after a few boundaries from Jamieson, he then became Markram’s second scalp, caught at mid-off by a back-peddling Kagiso Rabada, with the score 368/8.
Southee (4) then came in and in a bizarre over was dropped twice off Rabada, by Duanne Olivier and Rassie van der Dussen, before he skied the last ball to be caught by Erwee with them 388/9, bringing Henry in.
In the post-lunch session, it was the Colin de Grandhomme (45 off 42 balls) and Blundell show as they made sure New Zealand stayed on top with a 76-run seventh-wicket partnership to push the lead to 261 by tea.
The Proteas gave themselves a glimmer of hope after the break with two wickets before the new ball became available, as Glenton Stuurman picked up his first test wicket having Daryl Mitchell (16) sharply caught at first slip by Elgar to reduce them to 239/5.
Henry Nicholls (105) then made his way to an impressive century, before Olivier struck, having him caught in the slips by Markram with them on 273/6.
However, once the new ball was taken the Proteas then leaked runs at a pace as de Grandhomme and Blundell took charge and hammered their side towards a big total.
Just before the tea break Proteas captain Elgar got tired of his pace bowlers and took a chance by bringing part-timer Markram into the attack, with it paying dividends as he picked up his first test wicket as de Grandhomme hit the ball straight to Marco Jansen at long-on.
Blundell and Jamieson then negotiated the final few overs to the tea break.
In the morning session, the Proteas were put to the sword by New Zealand as the hosts raced to 235/4 at lunch.
The visitors were made to rue their terrible fielding on the first days afternoon session as overnight nightwatchman Neil Wagner (49) and Nicholls cashed in on their lifelines to power the Black Caps into a massive lead.
The day began with Wagner, who was dropped on one just before the close on day one, and Nicholls, who was dropped on five and 23 on the first afternoon, having to see out a hostile early spell from Rabada.
Once they had got through the first overs Wagner decided to open up, taking a liking to some poor short bowling from Rabada and Stuurman.
He hammered Rabada for three boundaries in a row in one over and back to back boundaries in another, while cracking Stuurman for two fours and a six in one over, while crashing another six in another as he flew to 49.
However, with just one to get for just his second test half-century Wagner flicked a leg-side delivery from Rabada straight to van der Dussen at deep square leg to end an 80-run fourth-wicket stand.
Nicholls, who had played second fiddle to Wagner in this time but had brought up his half-century, then took control, hammering any loose balls to the boundary as along with Mitchell they confidently took New Zealand to lunch without further problems.
NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham (capt), Will Young, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (capt), Sarel Erwee, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Glenton Stuurman, Duanne Olivier
a