New Zealand vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 2: Kane Williamson keeps Kiwis on course
NZ vs SA, 1st Test, Day 2: Williamson keeps Kiwis on course
Kane Williamson’s unbeaten 78 guided New Zealand to 177 for 3 at stumps on Day Two against South Africa in the first Test. New Zealand lost both their openers Tom Latham (10) and Jeet Raval (52), and Henry Nicholls (12), in their bid to reach the total of 308 set by South Africa in the first innings. The hosts got off to shaky start as Vernon Philander removed opener Latham with just 15 runs on the board. The hosts are still trailing the Proteas’ total by 131 runs and the onus to complete this deficit will lie largely on Williamson, who is cruising towards his 16th Test century. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD, New Zealand vs South Africa, 1st Test at Dunedin
Resuming at 59 for 1, Raval and Williamson shifted their batting gears. They were cautious against the South African pace attack in the second session, but since the start of the last session of the day, they counterattacked. They timed the ball to perfection and punished Keshav Maharaj in particular. Williamson danced down the track against Maharaj to kill the turn and bounce whereas Raval resorted to staying on back-foot and using his wrists to guide the ball in gaps.
Williamson and Raval took 110 deliveries to score 44 runs together in the second session of the day, and increased the tempo by getting the next 58 runs off just 62 deliveries. But against the run of play, Raval threw away his wicket. Maharaj pitched it short but the ball stuck to the pitch and came late on to the bat. Raval was already into his shot and wanted to work it on the leg-side, but ended up giving up an easy catch to Dean Elgar at short midwicket.
This wicket saw a vital 102-run stand broken between Raval and Williamson. But before his dismissal, Raval scored his only third Test fifty while Williamson scored 26th Test fifty.
When Raval departed, New Zealand had 117 runs on the board and Williamson had a new partner in the form of the veteran Ross Taylor. But the visitors capitalised on Raval’s wicket and tightened the noose on New Zealand. The hosts looked for another sturdy stand, but before Williamson and Taylor could develop any rhythm, the latter Taylor limped off the field having damaged his calf muscle. Having lost Taylor due to unforeseen circumstances, out-of-form Henry Nicholls walked in a volatile situation.
Williamson needed a partner who could bat out the day along with him. But Hashim Amla took an absolute blinder in slip cordon to dismiss Nicholls (12), who walk back after being caught off Maharaj which reduced the hosts to 165 for 3. The nightwatchman Jeetan Patel played out some unnerving deliveries along with his skipper to end the day at 177 for 3.
New Zealand still trail South Africa by 131 runs with 7 wickets in hand. They still have a string of batsmen in their ranks such as Jimmy Neesham, BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner, alongside Taylor who will be expected to come out to bat at some stage on Day Three.
Brief scores
South Africa 308 (Dean Elgar 140, Temba Bavuma 64; Trent Boult 4 for 64, Neil Wagner 3 for 88) lead New Zealand 177 for 3 (Jeet Raval 52, Kane Williamson 78*; Keshav Maharaj 2 for 57, Vernon Philander 1 for 37) trail by 131 runs