Du Plessis leads from the front for Proteas
Scores a captain’s knock of 112 not out as hosts declare at 481 for 8 against New Zealand
South African captain Faf du Plessis scored an unbeaten 112 as the hosts piled up the pressure on New Zealand on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at SuperSport Park yesterday. They declared the first innings at 481 for eight.
Apart from a burst of scoring immediately after lunch, it was slow going for Du Plessis, who had faced 205 balls by tea, hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
The South African captain bemoaned the failure of his batsmen to convert good starts into big scores after the aborted first Test in Durban and seemed determined to set an example against steady bowling on a pitch still offering some help to the seam bowlers.
South Africa’s total advanced by 154 runs from their overnight total of 283 for three, for the loss of three more wickets in 54 overs.
JP Duminy made 88 off 158 balls, with 13 fours, before he was caught behind off Tim Southee, getting a faint edge to an attempted pull against a bouncer.
Temba Bavuma also fell to a short ball, top-edging a pull against Neil Wagner to be well caught by Doug Bracewell, running (overnight 283-3) S. Cook c Williamson b Bracewell 56 Q. de Kock c Boult b Wagner 82 H. Amla c Watling b Wagner 58 J. Duminy c Watling b Southee 88 F. du Plessis not out 112 T. Bavuma c Bracewell b Wagner 8 S. van Zyl c Taylor b Wagner 35 V. Philander b Wagner 8 K. Rabada c Nicholls b Santner 7 D. Steyn not out 13
(b10, lb4) 14 (8 wkts dec, 154 overs) 481
1-133 (De Kock), 2-151 (Cook), 3-246 (Amla), 4-342 (Duminy), 5-342 (Bavuma), 6-426 (Van Zyl), 7-442 (Philander), 8-463 (Rabada)
Southee 35-4-114-1, Boult 35.4-7-107-0, Bracewell 30.2-9-98-1, Santner 14-1-62-1, Wagner 39-8-86-5
D. Piedt in from fine leg, for eight.
Stiaan van Zyl, a late replacement for the injured Dean Elgar, made a laboured 35 off 111 before he was caught at a wide slip by Ross Taylor off Neil Wagner.