JP grabs the chance to work his magic at the Basin Reserve

VERY few if anyone would have put a bet on all-rounder J P Duminy being the Proteas’ star bowler against New Zealand in their first innings.

But he was that bowler when he claimed career-best figures of 4/47 in the home side’s first innings of 268 yesterday.

Captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and chose to send the home side out to bat first at the Basin Reserve ground in Wellington.

“It’s something that I have been working on for a period of time and unfortunately I haven’t reaped any rewards‚ but I guess it comes down to opportunities‚” part-time offspinner Duminy said.

“I’ve been getting an odd over here and there‚ so the opportunities haven’t really been there.

“Today was one of those days when I got an opportunity to carry on.

“The key is to get a wicket in your first three overs; then you get to keep the ball.”

That said‚ Duminy toiled for 6.2 overs‚ from which he conceded only 11 runs‚ before he claimed his first scalp by bowling Henry Nicholls.

The key to Duminy’s performance was patience on a pitch that brimmed with enough early life to help South Africa reduce the Kiwis to 21/3 in the first hour.

Then the surface settled down and allowed Nicholls to score 118‚ his maiden Test century in his 19th innings.

Duminy had his fair share of luck‚ what with Colin de Grandhomme caught by a wrong-footed Hashim Amla at slip after the ball had ricocheted off wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock’s gloves and B J Watling caught behind after the edge bounced off the flap of the batsman’s pad as he kneeled to play his stroke.

“There are times in the game when things need to go your way‚ and fortunately for us it happened that way‚” said Duminy.

“But I think it comes down to being consistent in a certain area and‚ with that‚ things will happen for you.”

That they did‚ with South Africa taking New Zealand’s last five wickets for 51.

Duminy will hope things keep happening for him today when he will be part of South Africa’s efforts to right an innings that veered to 12/2.

By stumps‚ a dozen more runs had been added and no more wickets lost. But South Africa know they have a fight on their hands.