Tea New Zealand 160 for 5 (Nicholls 74*, Watling 21*) v South Africa
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Kane Williamson was lbw to Kagiso Rabada as New Zealand struggled early on © AFP
Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj claimed two wickets apiece, but Henry Nicholls ensured New Zealand did not fold on the opening day in Wellington. They were 21 for 3 before the hour mark after being asked to bat and when Maharaj struck either side of lunch the fears for a flimsy top order were coming to fruition before the Nicholls-lead revival.
Faf du Plessis thought the ball might swing early in slightly warmer temperatures and he was right with his three quicks proving a handful. Rabada’s double left New Zealand floundering when he trapped Kane Williamson lbw and handed Neil Broom a debut duck (although the wicket owed much to Quinton de Kock’s stunning catch). A bonus came in the final over of the first session when Jeet Raval edged Maharaj’s fourth ball to slip and the left-arm spinner later had James Neesham stumped.
Nicholls, however, remained firm and moved to his half-century off 66 balls, skipping down the pitch to loft Maharaj straight, having emerged after lunch with a very positive mindset. Alongside BJ Watling they added an unbroken 59 for the sixth wicket to give New Zealand hope of positing a total to remain competitive.
Another reason for du Plessis’ desire to bowl was to have an early dart at New Zealand’s Taylor-less top order. Morne Morkel, who did not concede a run until his 15th delivery having been elevated to opening the bowling, could have had a wicket in his third over but South Africa did not opt for the DRS for an lbw appeal against Tom Latham which came back as three reds on the replay. However, that did not bring an upturn in fortunes for Latham who soon edged a delivery that nipped away to third slip.
Rabada was first change this time having taken the new ball in Dunedin but wasted little time in making an impact – a huge blow to New Zealand’s hopes – swinging a full delivery sharply back at Williamson to trap the New Zealand captain lbw. A technological malfunction followed after Williamson called for the DRS but no ball-tracking was available; the on-field decision was upheld (it looked as though it would have been in any event) and New Zealand were not docked a review, but that was small compensation for losing their captain.
Having plied his trade on the domestic scene for 15 years, Broom began his Test career with a fourth-ball duck, but he won’t have fallen to many better catches in that time than the snaffle by de Kock. Rabada, this time nipping the ball away, found Broom’s outside edge and de Kock dived full-length in front of first slip – the ball would not have reached Hashim Amla.
At 21 for 3, New Zealand could have had a horror morning, the type that loses a Test match before thoughts have barely turned towards the weekend. However, as he had in Dunedin, Raval showed good judgement outside off, waiting to pick off anything on the pads or overpitched and alongside Nicholls gave them a foothold only for it loosen on the stroke of lunch.
Late in the session, du Plessis turned to spin. Firstly it was from JP Duminy, a brief experiment for the offspinner to target two left handers, before turning to his specialist in Maharaj. He drew an edge first ball which just eluded Amla at slip, brought a nervous jab at another delivery before, tossing one a little wider, Raval pushed away from his body.
Nicholls and Neesham took 25 off a two-over post-lunch spell from Morkel as New Zealand rattled to three figures, but the surge was stopped in its tracks when Neesham dragged his back foot out of the crease against Maharaj. Neesham knew he was out of his ground and virtually walked for the stump. For all the focus on South Africa’s quicks, it was Maharaj’s seventh wicket of the series.
New Zealand had lost half their side for 101 but Watling has hauled them out of the mire before and stood steadfastly alongside Nicholls. He made 6 off his first 44 balls before piercing the off side with a sweetly-timed back-foot drive, but of more importance was that he remained at the crease.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo