Internet Desk: South Africa got into a strong position despite a top-order batting collapse in its second innings on the third day of the second and final Test against New Zealand on Monday. South Africa was 105 for 6 at the close, an overall lead of 372 runs on a pitch at Centurion’s Super Sport Park offering assistance to pace bowlers and starting to show signs of uneven bounce.
New Zealand conceded a first-innings lead of 267, but Tim Southee and Trent Boult then two wickets each to reduce South Africa to 47 for 4. Only Quinton de Kock shone bright for South Africa with his second half-century of the match. At stumps, Temba Bavuma was on 25 with Vernon Philander for company.
Earlier, South Africa’s three-pronged pace attack was responsible for New Zealand being bowled out for 214 in its first innings in reply to South Africa’s 481 for 8 declared. Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada took three wickets each and Philander claimed two.
Only Kane Williamson was able to provide resistance – he was last man out for 77. While his other batsmen struggled, Williamson was calm, seemingly with time to spare as he battled the pace threat. He batted for 286 minutes and faced 133 balls in an innings that included eight fours and a six.
The Steyn-Philander-Rabada combine was relentless, although it took South Africa more than an hour to take the first wicket of the day, when Rabada trapped Henry Nicholls lbw for 36. Williamson and Nicholls had put on 60 for the fourth wicket and helped New Zealand to make a good start to the day after resuming at 38 for 3.
New Zealand’s resistance crumbled after the breakthrough, although South Africa lost its way briefly when Rabada and Steyn peppered Neil Wagner, the No. 10 batsman, with bouncers. Wagner was even hit on the helmet by Rabada but responded by hitting four fours and a six in an innings of 31 before he was caught behind off Steyn.
Then, in the evening, after a maiden over from Southee to Stephen Cook to start the South African second innings, de Kock hit the first four balls of the next over from Boult for fours before hitting Southee for four and six off successive deliveries in the third over.
New Zealand struck back with three wickets in ten balls. Cook was trapped in front by Boult before Southee dismissed Hashim Amla, caught at first slip, and JP Duminy, lbw, in the next over. Faf du Plessis, the first-innings centurion, and de Kock tried to rebuild the innings but du Plessis was soon caught at first slip off Boult.
De Kock got to his half-century off 42 balls with eight fours and a six. But, one ball later, he received a bouncer from Doug Bracewell which he gloved to gully. He was the fifth man out, and Wagner accounted for the struggling Stiaan van Zyl before play ended.