Elgar century defies Black Caps
A day where New Zealand threatened to seize control of the first cricket test ended with South Africa marginally in front, thanks to Dean Elgar’s broad bat and iron will.
South Africa’s gritty opener batted through day one for his seventh test century, surviving a big let-off to quell a lively New Zealand opening stanza.
At stumps the tourists were 229-4 after winning the toss, Elgar 128 not out and Temba Bavuma surviving a couple of half lbw shouts to be 38 not out. The pair put on an unbroken 81 in the late afternoon sun at University Oval in Dunedin, leaving New Zealand probably two wickets away from a day they’d be very happy with.
Wicketkeeper BJ Watling will have a restless night after shelling a royal chance to remove Elgar on 36, which would have reduced South Africa to 63-4. A leg side edge off Trent Boult flew low to Watling who got a full right glove to it but it popped out.
Elgar, a former schoolboy rival of New Zealand’s Neil Wagner on South Africa’s high veldt, made the home side pay. Typically hard to dislodge, he fought through a tough early period then cashed in with firm drives, savage pull shots and cuts in his 22 fours.
It wasn’t too bad all round from New Zealand, who’d dropped senior man Tim Southee to accommodate spinners Jeetan Patel and Mitchell Santner. They started strongly, kept the run rate down but just lacked some punch in the final session. Boult and Wagner were lively and accurate with the second new ball but couldn’t dislodge the set batsmen.
A brilliantly fine Dunedin day began with general bemusement among most, including a few former internationals, at the pitch and likely New Zealand selections.
South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis appeared confused, too, and after observing the previous 22 toss winners in New Zealand tests had bowled first, he went the other way. The tourists boldly declared their hand the previous day, recalling the towering but injuryprone Morne Morkel, then the Black Caps rolled the dice with some refreshingly bold selections.
Southee’s axing was the main talking point; the first time the senior paceman had been omitted when fully fit since the Hyderabad test in India in 2012.
It was a tough call but the right call, and had to be made to accommodate two spinners. Boult and Wagner looked better wickettaking options on a slow surface with the likelihood of minimal swing in the cool air.
For the first time since Patel partnered Daniel Vettori against Australia in Hamilton in 2010, New Zealand picked two frontline spinners in a home test. The selection was finalised on test eve when White Ferns captain Suzie Bates presented the team caps.
Patel was on in the sixth over as the pitch started worryingly variable and tricky against the new ball, then seemed to play truer after lunch when it dried.
There was occasional turn, and bounce for the quicks who dug it in, but generally batsmen looked comfortable and were hard to dislodge. The pitch will offer more turn but for now looks tough for the bowlers who face many more hours of toil this test.
Boult was outstanding in his first nine-over spell, and generated more swing than expected at a good clip as he trapped Stephen Cook lbw padding up.
There was energy and accuracy from the New Zealanders with Patel on the money early, then Neil Wagner striking twice in five balls. Captain Kane Williamson switched ends with Wagner, sharing the new ball for just the second time in his test career, and he swung one through a poor Hashim Amla shot then removed JP Duminy when he gloved a snorter.
After a bit of application, Elgar and du Plessis hauled South Africa up from 22-3 with a stand of 126 and it was evenly poised.
Williamson took forever to summon the recalled Jimmy Neesham to the bowling crease, but when he appeared in the 57th over things started to happen.
Neesham went for 12 off his first over then du Plessis (52) fell for the leg side trap, hooking straight to Boult at deep square.