Boult injured as NZ strike back
AFTER one of his more triumphant days as test captain, it was back to reality with a thud for Kane Williamson on a bonechilling Dunedin yesterday.
This South African team are tough okes, as they say in the republic, and to break them down it needs everything to go their opponents’ way.
Not much did on day four, till the final hour when things finally started to happen for New Zealand, sparked by Jeetan Patel (2-72 off 36) spinning into the footmarks on the dry pitch.
Earlier, their decision review system blunders continued; they missed vital chances in the field then lost Trent Boult’s services to an upper left leg injury after he shouldered the bowling burden with their two-pace, two-spin attack. He didn’t take the field in the final session and his potential absence looms as a significant blow for the hosts at the bouncier Basin Reserve, along with Ross Taylor’s whose torn calf is expected to rule him out.
At stumps, South Africa were 224-6 in their second innings, with captain Faf du Plessis unbeaten on 56. It’s a lead of 191 after they crawled along at 2.2 per over then lost 3-25 to spin in the gathering gloom as spinners Patel and Mitchell Santner hit stride in tandem.
It just all looked a bit too late and left everyone wondering what might have been had it all fallen into place earlier.
On the surface it suggests game on for day five, where NZ Cricket has dropped ticket prices to $15 and free for under-14s. The major headache is the MetService forecast which makes a draw the hot favourite outcome, with rain predicted to set in from midmorning and stay all day.
It evokes memories of the Dunedin test five years ago which was well set up before rain washed out day five. A draw would be a fair result heading to Wellington next Thursday, and New Zealand have played very well at times to compete strongly, but the knockout punch again takes some time to be delivered against quality opponents.
To their credit the locals stuck it out on the grass hill. It’s hard enough to attract paying punters and some were subjected to an excessively rigorous entry process by ground security. Having got through that, rugged up against a 12degC afternoon, they witnessed some dour, pure test cricket.
It all started so promisingly, after New Zealand took the honours on the previous two days and sensed a chance with the pitch playing a few tricks. Boult rapped Hashim Amla on the finger first ball then Neil Wagner enticed a false shot to remove the prolific South African No 3.
The wheels wobbled significantly and opener Dean Elgar again proved a near immovable object.
Patel bowled 28 overs on the trot, the occasional one turning or SCOREBOARD GETTY IMAGES skidding on, but it just wasn’t working.
Somehow New Zealand’s DRS system is awry. The chain of command appears confused and there are too many voices, some helpful and some not. Their DRS record continues to be awful.
Boult was adamant he had JP Duminy caught behind; Jimmy Neesham not so much, and their review was struck down when replays showed pad only. They didn’t review a Patel lbw to Duminy which replays showed was out, then next over they all missed a big Duminy inside edge and challenged the umpire’s correct lbw decision.