Proteas tighten grip on test
Faf du Plessis and Neil Wagner enjoyed satisfying homecomings at the ground that moulded their cricketing careers, though the South African captain predictably had the widest grin as New Zealand’s bid for a maiden series win at Centurion virtually disintegrated.
Rather than beckon, history looks destined to repeat on the highveld as the Proteas maintained a vice-like grip on the second and final test at SuperSport Park on Sunday after du Plessis negated his former schoolmate’s fourth five-wicket haul with a relentless unbeaten century.
Du Plessis’ return to form with a patient 112 was then complemented in a short order by the Black Caps’ long-term tormentors Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn as New Zealand were in survival mode at 38-3 at stumps on day two.
Already unlikely to be in a position to orchestrate a rare victory over the Proteas after their hosts amassed 481-8 declared after Kane Williamson opted to bowl first, the Black Caps were headed for a third successive defeat at the venue with nine sessions remaining - and no rain forecast.
Having laboured almost two days in the field, openers Martin Guptill [8] and Tom Latham [4] then had only fleeting time at the crease before trudging off inside five overs.
While Guptill edged Philander to second slip, Latham’s demise was controversial after third umpire Richard Illingworth gave the opener caught behind out to a Steyn delivery that appeared to brush his trouser pocket.
Australian umpire Paul Reiffel rejected the initial appeal but the South Africans were convinced and Illingworth upheld their review after replay technology displayed faint, though inconclusive, contact. Ultimately Latham’s exit should be immaterial as South Africa’s quicks unsettled the Black Caps top order from the outset, particularly Ross Taylor who took his first two deliveries from Steyn on the body before running himself out for a single 10 deliveries later.
Taylor, who had racked up 366 runs without being dismissed on tour, succumbed to a rare misjudgment when short leg Temba Bavuma hit the stumps after the former captain rushed to get off strike and was turned back by Williamson.
New Zealand’s quest to prolong the contest now rest with the Black Caps skipper, who resumes on 15 alongside Henry Nicholls [4].
Du Plessis, meanwhile can relax after justifying his recall and leadership responsibility despite averaging 15.58 in the seven tests heading into this series.
The 32-year-old, who last celebrated a century against the West Indies during the Boxing Day test of 2014 in Durban, had a life on 18 when dropped by Nicholls on the square leg boundary in the morning session and then zeroed in on his fifth test ton. He eventually batted 234 balls and struck a dozen boundaries and two sixes, the first of which eluded Nicholls’ grasp.
Resuming on 283-3 South Africa built an imposing lead with relative ease and when du Plessis reached his fifty it was just the second time in South Africa’s test history the top five batsmen all recorded half centuries.
Du Plessis needed 130 balls to post his half century and required another 95 before acknowledging his milestone with an exuberant leap and exhortation.