Rabada leads South African charge

Kagiso Rabada grabbed three top-order New Zealand wickets as he helped South Africa seize control of the second test on the second day at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday.

At the close, the Kiwis had slumped to 157 for five, a deficit of 207. The visitors’ advantage might have been even greater but for a rousing fightback led by Colin de Grandhomme in the last hour. The aggressive allrounder came in with New Zealand in big trouble on 91 for five before blasting a thrilling 50 in 36 balls (7x4s, 2x6s). Although he went into his shell later, he and Daryl Mitchell (29 in 78 balls) showed plenty of intent as they added 66 in 112 balls in an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership.

Nevertheless, with South Africa compiling 364 in their first innings, the visitors still enjoy a handsome first-innings lead of 207 and are just one wicket shy of exposing the Black Caps’ tail.

Rabada led the early South African assault when New Zealand went in to bat 45 minutes before tea, claiming the wickets of both Kiwi openers, Tom Latham and Will Young, before returning to knock over Tom Blundell’s castle at the beginning of his second spell. Rabada, who troubled all the batsmen with his pace, lift and movement, finished the day with outstanding figures of 3/37 in 12 overs.

Left-arm paceman Marco Jansen provided valuable backup, picking up the wickets of Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls at a cost of 48 runs. Both Conway and Latham were “strangled” down the legside, attempting glances, with wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne completing diving catches. Nicholls, who looked in excellent form, gave his wicket away, square-cutting straight to a specially placed deep backward point (Sarel Erwee) after striking 39 in 63 balls while Tom Blundell left a delivery from Rabada that cut back sharply to knock back his off-stump.

In an entertaining day of thrust and counter-thrust, New Zealand won the morning session with pacemen Matt Henry and Neil Wagner claiming two wickets each as the Proteas – resuming on their overnight total of 238 for three – only added 60 runs in 27 overs for the loss of four wickets.

South Africa’s problems began in the eighth over when Temba Bavuma played too early at a slow yorker from Henry with the ball ducking under his bat and clipping his off-stump. His 29 had come off 81 balls and he and Rassie van der Dussen had added 58 in 162 balls for the fourth wicket.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne didn’t stay long, prodding at a wider delivery from Henry and edging a low catch to Latham in the slips.

The slow pace of scoring was mainly down to the struggles of Van der Dussen who looked particularly tentative against Henry. He had scored 35 in 124 balls when he drove at a wide half-volley from the combative Neil Wagner, edging a comfortable catch to Daryl Mitchell at slip.

Wiaan Mulder looked composed and solid in defence and it was a surprise when he lost his wicket to his first false stroke: attempting a clip through leg off Wagner he played too early and got a leading edge, leaving wicketkeeper Blundell with an easy looping catch.

Resuming after lunch on 298 for seven, South Africa quickly lost Rabada, superbly caught by Mitchell at first slip off the bowling of Wagner. But just when it looked like the South African innings would wither around the 300 mark, Marcus Jansen and Keshav Maharaj staged a late counter-attack.

Playing with welcome aggression, the two men added a quickfire 62 in 79 balls for the ninth wicket to give the innings a late flourish. The personal battle between Wagner and Jansen was particularly entertaining with Wagner producing a bumper barrage and some chat to which Jansen responded with a series of pulls and lofted drives.

Both men struck six fours in the partnership before Kyle Jamieson had Maharaj (36 in 50 balls) nicely taken in the gully by Nicholls. Last man Lutho Sipamla came and went in the same over leaving Jansen unbeaten on 37 in 51 balls.

Report Day 1

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, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Lutho Sipamla