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SA: 283/3 | South Africa vs New Zealand, 2nd Test, Day 1 Live Updates| Stumps

With the first Test being a total washout, South Africa face a stern test against New Zealand as they play the second and final Test of the series at Centurion

Hashim Amla was delightful to watch as he registered his 30th fifty in Test cricket © AFP
Hashim Amla was delightful to watch as he registered his 30th fifty in Test cricket © AFP

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live updates of South Africa vs New Zealand 2016. Here you will get all the live cricket updates of Day One’s play of the second Test of the two-Test series. The match is being played at SuperSportPark, Centurion. The contest should be neck to neck as both South Africa and New Zealand have different motives and agenda to play for but the end result as the first Test at Durban was a rain tormented washout. Kane Williamson has been handed the captaincy in all formats and has done well for the team, as a leader, in the ICC World Twenty20 (T20I) and in a two-Test series against Zimbabwe, prior to this series. South Africa, on the other hand, have a different agenda as they have slumped to the seventh position in the latest ICC Test rankings. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: South Africa vs New Zealand, 2nd Test at Centurion

Meanwhile South Africa’s batting, in the absence of AB de Villiers, ended quickly in the opening Test. There were a few notable knocks – a fluent half-century by Hashim Amla, a quickfire 33 from Quinton de Kock and partially-gritty innings from Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada. But the four-pronged pace attack of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell and Neil Wagner bowled well in helpful conditions and, along with Mitchell Santner, skittled out the visitors in less than a day. ALSO READ: SA vs NZ 2nd Test Preview & Predictions: One-Test series excites both teams

South Africa decision to bat first in the first Test did not go well as they slipped to 236 for 8 on the first day in Durban. Three of their big names Dean Elgar, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock fell to soft dismissals and another two Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma were dismissed after looking as though they could dominate. In the hope that they do not leave their tail with too much to do, du Plessis wants one of them to go to a big score in the deciding Test. Dale Steyn was incisive in his six-over spell in the first Test. The veteran fast bowler has cut down a bit on his pace, but continues to remain a threat with the moving ball. Vernon Philander is far from his best since his return to international cricket. But the 31-year-old seamer has enjoyed good returns in Centurion – bagging 18 wickets in four Tests at an average of 16.44, and would look to continue his dream run at the venue. Together with the young pacer Kagiso Rabada, they have a dangerous pace attack to showcase against the in-form New Zealand batting line up.

Williamson, after having taken over the captaincy from Brendon McCullum, will have a point to prove and work his way towards claiming a place in the long list of legendary New Zealand captains. A victory in the second Test will help that cause as it would ensure New Zealand’s first-ever Test series win against South Africa. The first Test of the series in Durban had less than 100 overs of cricket over four sessions before rain first and then a poor outfield meant no play at all was possible for the last three days of the game.

Centurion has been a fortress for South Africa in Tests, with the home side having won 16 of the 21 Tests it has played at the ground, the only two losses coming against England in 1999-2000 and against Australia in 2013-14. New Zealand on the other hand will be happy with the bowling effort as Trent Boult and Neil Wagner both scalped three wickets in the first innings while Mitchell Santner got two and Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell got one wicket each. New Zealand could noy display their same batting as they did in Zimbabwe.

Openers Tom Latham and Martin Guptill were sent back to the dressing room very early in their first innings as they just could not handle the pace attack from Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander. Visitors lost both the openers against Steyn as the veteran looked lethal in his first spell. Before other New Zealand batsmen could be tested against the South African fast attack rain disrupted the play on the second day and that was it for the first Test. New Zealand batsmen flourished in runs as Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill all scored runs at ease against the Zimbabwean bowling attack.

But facing South African bowling in South Africa is all together a different setup and this will be the real test for the New Zealand batsmen. This could not happen much in the first Test, but certainly second Test can give all this action. South Africa cricket is not what it was. The team has seen a slump in form, injuries have bogged them down, defeats have left them with bruises to heal from.

The back-to-back Test series losses to England and India have cost them a lot. Their players are not as young as they were, have become older. Their captain has injured himself. The team is trying to rebuild. But then, this is their chance to begin their revival. This is the chance to climb up the rankings, reclaim their Test potentials. And therefore, this is the time, the team needs fans to support them, cheer for them. They can’t be so unforgiving when the chips are down. Maybe this has been the reason why empty stands were witnessed at Durban.

It can be said that lot of enthralling action was witnessed on the first day at Durban, but the recent crisis through which South African cricket is going has reduced the popularity of cricket. From being No.1 in Tests to being No.7 in Tests shows how much slump South African cricket has seen in recent time. A win in this series can change lot of things for them as this can a revival for Test cricket in South Africa. The conditions in Centurion have traditionally favoured the pacers with the pitch deteriorating as the match progressing. Williamson has played down the tag of favourites, while du Plessis still has lot to worry about as their batting order crisis are still at large.

With the series evenly poised at this stage, both sides will definitely want a result on their side. Although the threats of rain and thunderstorms are looming over this Test as well, both teams will hope for no rains as good cricket action awaits us all. While cricket should have been the main talking point in the last Test, the wet outfield at Kingsmead grabbed limelight for all the wrong reasons.

South Africa playing XI – Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Stiaan van Zyl, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada

New Zealand playing XI – Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult

FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: South Africa vs New Zealand, 2nd Test at Centurion

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