Test slips from New Zealand’s grasp
They call it a long day in the dirt, and New Zealand’s cricketers have had a few of them at the Basin Reserve.
So after their hard-earned position of dominance was snatched away by South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (91) and Temba Bavuma (89), New Zealand revert to familiar Wellington catch-up mode in this second test. And they’ll be kicking themselves.
At stumps on day two New Zealand trailed South Africa by 81 and, after taking the final wicket, will pad up today needing to bat long and large, on a pitch that should be at its best for runscoring.
It certainly was on day two, despite South Africa plummeting to 94-6 before de Kock and Bavuma added 160, their country’s fourthhighest seventh-wicket stand. The tourists were still rumbling on at stumps at 349-9, after Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel added the final insult with an unbroken stand of 47, extending the fightback to 255 runs for the last four wickets in 60 overs.
Such a rapid momentum swing took the wind out of New Zealand’s sails and could be series-defining as the afternoon that got away. They didn’t bowl badly but lacked punch on the flat surface with the old ball, went one-dimensional with the bouncer and offspinner Jeetan Patel found little in his home track to assist him.
It meant for a fourth successive Basin Reserve test, New Zealand trailed after batting first. There’s been some big deficits, too: 246 against India (drawn), 135 against Sri Lanka (won) and 379 against Australia 13 months ago.
That last one didn’t end so well, when New Zealand were skittled for 327 and lost by an innings.
Against an impressive South African pace trio Morkel, Philander and Kagiso Rabada, getting themselves significantly back in front will require serious work. The Basin bounce will interest the quicks, as it did Morkel in a searing spell five years ago, and reverse swing on the abrasive block may be a factor too with Rabada a fine exponent.
Morkel will be smarting, too, after being struck a nasty blow between the eyes from Tim Southee in the late shadows. Southee did well to get the bouncer that high and New Zealand’s batsmen can expect a few back.
With no Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson faces yet another stern exam and the likes of Tom Latham, Neil Broom and Jimmy Neesham provide pressure points for South Africa to probe.
It all started so well for New Zealand who brought energy, exploited some swing and crippled South Africa’s top order. It promised to be one of New Zealand’s better test days in recent memory as the tourists slumped, their captain Faf du Plessis joining the procession as a 1-0 series lead with one test to play beckoned.
The pitch was playing well and New Zealand were accurate but they weren’t 94-6 conditions.
Allrounder Colin de Grandhomme got the ball to wobble enough and his double strike to remove Hashim Amla and du Plessis looked the knockout punch. But South Africa threw some of their wickets away too. JP Duminy and Amla chipped to midwicket, handing day one centurion Henry Nicholls gift catches.
De Kock and Bavuma followed Nicholls’ lead from day one, positive and forthright and punishing anything short or wide.
De Kock arrived in Wellington with a test average of 47 from 17 tests, and an Adam Gilchrist-like reputation for snatching games away. Countering that was his struggles against Patel who’d removed him four times from four this tour.
It all turned when Patel bowled six wicketless overs and de Kock made a statement of intent. He advanced at nearly everything and got a flyer. Southee and Neil Wagner bounced him with four men back on the rope and the ball either flew over them or into wide open spaces as the gloveman looked in complete control.
Bavuma nicked in front of the cordon and lobbed one over the slipping de Grandhomme at midon, but was confident against the short ball and treasured his wicket.
Both fell in sight of three figures but the damage was done for New Zealand. De Kock (91 off 118) was caught behind off Jimmy Neesham and Bavuma was bounced out by Wagner.
The latter charged in and tried to exploit the bounce in familiar style but by the time it worked, this one was slipping away in a desperate hurry from New Zealand.