Dale has a lot of fun finding the grandstand but Black Caps won’t appreciate Taylor ‘gift’
Plays of the Day 2
SHOT – With the declaration imminent, Dale Steyn decided to have some fun and in the process smashed one of the biggest sixes ever seen at this ground.
Mitchell Santner in trying to lure him into a false stroke tossed the ball up and Steyn took one large step down the pitch and launched it out of the ground and on to the roof of the grandstand.
BALL – While all the New Zealand bowlers toiled manfully, the rewards went the way of Neil Wagner, who claimed five wickets, the last of those with a peach that slanted back into Vernon Philander knocking out his off-stump. CATCH – Wagner picked up two wickets with South African batsmen hooking, the second of those was Bavuma who skied the ball towards Doug Bracewell, who came in quickly off the fine-leg boundary and pulled off a fine effort diving forward.
HERO – All the Black Caps bowlers will have deserved their post-play beers. They worked hard and beat the bat enough times to merit greater reward.
As it was, the former hometown boy Neil Wagner walked away with the plaudits, a fourth Test “five-for”.
The 30-year-old left-arm quick is an endearing sort, who never shirks hard work and in front of many of his friends and family, he delivered a sterling performance that will live long in his memory.
VILLAIN – Run outs are usually unforgivable – just a gift for the opposition – and given his importance to what is a thin-looking New Zealand batting card, Ross Taylor’s nicely-wrapped present to South Africa would not have gone down well with his teammates.
CONDITIONS – Another lovely warm day, but was it warm enough to help break up this pitch?
That is hard to say, although there are ‘dents’ in the surface the result of the softness of the pitch on the first day, which the sun has hardened over two days has hardened.
There continues to be help for the bowlers and a couple of balls at the Hennops River End have misbehaved.
One ball from Southee flew past South African hero Du Plessis’ face, another from Boult barely got up above midstump height.