Dane Piedt and Dane Paterson stunningly put the Proteas in charge of the second test at the close of play on day two after they bowled out New Zealand for 211 in their first innings, at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Piedt was the star of the show picking up 5/89 in 32.3 overs, while Paterson backed him up with 3/39 in 17 overs, with the hosts all out right at the close, which means the Proteas will take a 31-run lead into their second innings on the morning of day three.
“It is amazing. My test career has had its ups and downs, but I am seriously proud with how the guys fought today. We had a nice chat in the middle here reflecting on the first test and I am glad everyone stood up today and put something forward for the public out there,” said Piedt.
“As a bowling unit we did discussed trying to bowl in pairs and trying to strangle them. We said that we just have to keep grinding away and at some point our luck will turn and thankfully it did.
“But I am just seriously proud of all the guys who put their hands up from Tshepo (Moreki) to Pato (Paterson). It’s like the old days back in 2008 (at the Cape Cobras) myself and Pato bowling on each side.”
Can't help but love Dane Piedt 🥰
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) February 14, 2024
A special performance on Valentine's Day 💝 🏏🇿🇦
Hit the '💐' button to give him his flowers #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/mP2iQdCbGQ
The final session of play saw seven wickets fall for 90 runs, but it was a collapse of six wickets for 38 runs that put the Proteas well on top, before Neil Wagner hammered a quickfire 33 off 27 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes, to limit the damage with a 28-run last wicket stand.
Despite that late show Piedt is firmly looking at the positives and believes the understrength Proteas have a chance of pulling off a massive upset against the Black Caps on their home soil.
“It (Wagner’s innings) took away some of the momentum we would have taken in (to the second innings). But I look at all the positives, like we aren’t going to bat this evening. So tomorrow we can reset, come in fresh and try and setup the game,” said Piedt.
Great spell of bowling from @dane_piedt63 to lead the fight back for @ProteasMenCSA #NZvSA #5fer
— Paul Adams (@PaulAdams39) February 14, 2024
“It has been a tough tour but this team has been together for about three months now. We played the A side series and we have a great comradery inside the dressing room. We are quite open and honest with one another and hopefully those types of things will come through now.
“We will fight all the way through, that’s in the South African DNA, so we will fight as hard as we can to try and get a famous test win here in Hamilton.”
In the final session the hosts resumed after tea in a decent position on 121/3, with Will Young (36) and Rachin Ravindra (29) moving their fourth wicket stand to 59 runs as they looked to take charge.
However Moreki picked up the prized wicket of first test double centurion Ravindra, when he tried to cut him but only managed to inside edge the ball onto his own stumps, which sparked their collapse.
Paterson had Tom Blundell playing on and Piedt had Glenn Phillips (4) feathering a catch to keeper Clyde Fortuin, and Young caught by Ruan de Swardt on the boundary as they crashed to 163/7.
⚪ALL OUT
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) February 14, 2024
An exquisite 5-wicket haul from Dane Piedt as the Proteas edge out the Black Caps on the 2nd day in Seddon Park 🇿🇦🏏
🇿🇦 The Proteas lead by 31 runs #WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/gUw6ULyg87
Tim Southee (5) was caught going for a big shot off Paterson and Matt Henry (10) ran himself out after setting off for a single that wasn’t there, as they tumbled to 183/9.
Wagner then staged a late fightback with William O’Rourke, who ended unbeaten on nought off 20 balls, before Wagner was stumped off Piedt to give him his five-fer.
In the post lunch session the Black Caps resumed on 25/1, with Kane Williamson (43) and Tom Latham (40) extending their second wicket partnership to 74 runs.
Both batters found scoring tough, but looked relatively untroubled until Piedt got one to spin past the defence of Latham to bowl him, reducing them to 75/2.
Williamson followed soon after trying to flick a Piedt delivery, only to edge onto his own pads, with the ball popping up to Raynard van Tonder at short leg, leaving the hosts in a spot of bother on 86/3.
Ravindra and Young however counterattacked well, taking their side past the hundred run mark and safely to tea.
In the morning session the Proteas struck early after they were bundled all out for 242, with Paterson having opener Devon Conway edging to keeper Fortuin for a third ball duck.
But that was their only success as Latham and Williamson guided their side to lunch with no further trouble.
At the start of play it was a disastrous start to the day for the visitors as they lost their last four wickets for the addition of just 22 runs.
Top scorer De Swardt (64) said after the first day’s play that the Proteas were hoping to at least get over 300, but that turned out to be a pipe dream as they crumbled in the morning sunshine.
New Zealand test debutant O’Rourke was the chief destroyer as he had Shaun von Berg (38) and De Swardt both playing on, and had Paterson caught first ball by Latham, to record figures of 4/59, while Southee picked up Piedt (4) caught behind by keeper Blundell.
NEW ZEALAND: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Tim Southee (capt), Neil Wagner, Will O’Rourke
SOUTH AFRICA: Neil Brand (capt), Zubayr Hamza, Raynard van Tonder, David Bedingham, Keegan Petersen, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Shaun von Berg, Dane Piedt, Tshepo Moreki, Dane Paterson