Published: Mar 27, 2017, 01:30 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 27, 2017, 12:17 PM (IST)
Hello, good morning and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and updates’ post from Day Three’s play of the third and final Test between New Zealand and South Africa, being played at the Seddon Park, Hamilton. The honours on Day Two belonged to the hosts, as they first dismissed South Africa for 314, with Matt Henry picking up 4 wickets and Neil Wagner, Colin de Grandhomme and Mitchell Santner taking 3, 2 and 1 wicket respectively. Quinton de Kock top-scored with 90 while Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla also hit fifties. Then the hosts went on to end the day for 67 without loss, trailing South Africa’s first innings score by 247 runs. Full Cricket Scorecard: New Zealand vs South Africa, 3rd Test at Hamilton
South Africa started the day with their score reading 123 for 4. The tourists added 191 more runs to their total and 90 of those were scored by wicketkeeper-batsman de Kock. He batted in his trademark style, smashing the bowlers all around the park, and scored 90 quick runs from just 118 balls, hitting 11 fours and 2 sixes. He got into brief stands with du Plessis (53), and the tail-enders, Kagiso Rabada in particular, who raced to his highest Test score (34) off just 31 balls.
For New Zealand, it was a collective effort with the ball that helped them restrict South Africa to 314. Barring Jeetan Patel, every bowler chipped in with wickets. In reply, New Zealand made a solid start with openers Tom Latham and Jeet Raval adding 67 runs in an unfinished stand for the first wicket. Latham, who earlier took a stunning pre-meditated catch of du Plessis at short leg, scored 42 of those.
His form had been under the scanner with lack of runs in the previous innings. But he has made a solid start here with Raval being as consistent as always at the other end. On Day Three, New Zealand will aim to get closer to the South African total. In fact, with the kind of start they have got, they will look to go beyond it and take a healthy lead. South Africa, on the other hand, need wickets to remain in a position of advantage.
Teams:
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis (c), Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel
New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Neil Broom, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Jeetan Patel, Neil Wagner
