South Africa in trouble after Williamson masterclass
Kane Williamson’s superb 176 almost exactly measured New Zealand’s first-innings advantage over South Africa in the third Test Tuesday before a top order collapse left the Proteas’ second innings in disarray at stumps on day four.
Under Williamson’s guidance New Zealand achieved a 175-run first-innings lead, reaching 489 in reply to South Africa’s 314.
At stumps the tourists were 80-5 after a sometimes chaotic start to their second innings, still 95 behind.
The Proteas stumbled to 59-5, losing Dean Elgar (5), Theunis de Bruyn (12), Hashim Amla (19), J.P. Duminy (13) and Temba Bavuma (1), before captain Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, both 15 not out, steered them to stumps.
South Africa came into the test at Seddon Park with a 1-0 lead in the three test series, which seemed formidable at a ground where defending a series lead was likely to be easier than overturning it.
The Proteas’ 314 from almost 90 overs in a match which suffered rain delays on the first three days seemed a further bulwark against any New Zealand effort to retrieve the series. But the Black Caps were able to fashion a significant first- innings lead then push to salvage a drawn series with a superb bowling and fielding effort in Tuesday’s final session.
They will enter the last day in a position to claim a win but the threat of rain still hovers over the match and it may be weather that has the final say.
The self-inflicted damage that overtook South Africa’s second innings was unexpected. The Proteas seemed to have all the batting resources they needed to negotiate the final session with little loss and to turn pressure back onto New Zealand on the final day.