NZ Vs SA: The second Test match between New Zealand and South Africa hangs in balance after the end of 2nd day. The Proteas were bundled out for 242 runs in their 1st innings.
The visitors could add only 22 runs to their overnight score of 220 runs for the loss of six wickets. Ruan de Swardt was the top scorer of their innings with 64 runs.
For the home side New Zealand, the Test debutant William O'Rourke picked up the most scalps in their innings. He got four wickets to his name with Rachin Ravindra got three wickets with Tim Southee got a wicket to his name after he went wicketless on day one.
Neil Wagner and Matt Henry also picked up one wicket each on early day two of this Test match.
New Zealand, who batted so well in the first Test match which they won at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, failed to repeat that kind of performance in the ongoing red ball match which is currently being played at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
The Kiwis couldn’t even go past the total that the Proteas scored and those 242 runs weren’t a daunting task for a team who is playing in their known home conditions.
Dane Piedt took a five-wicket haul to dismantle the in-form Kiwi batters. Piedt, who played his last red-ball match on the tour of India in 2019, went for runs and South Africa also lost their series.
The Proteas too are yet to win a Test match series in the Men in Blue nation. Likewise, India is also yet to win a red ball series in that country.
South Africa made a brilliant comeback through their bowlers. With Piedt and Dane Paterson, Tshepo Moreki too gave good support. Their bowlers never allowed the batters from New Zealand to make a comeback which was why the home side could score just 27 runs from 16 overs in the morning session. Apart from 75 75-run partnership between Williamson and Ravindra, no other batter could pose a threat.
The former Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson, who scored twin centuries in the first Test match, couldn’t even score a half-century. Just the same way, Rachin Ravindra also smashed a double ton in that opening encounter and he was also out early after the short drinks interval.
Just like the 1st innings of South Africa, New Zealand also had starts to their innings, but their batters couldn’t convert them. None of the batsmen from New Zealand could score a half-century.
Kane Williamson’s 43 runs was the highest score for the Kiwis in their 1st innings. That was also why, the hosts couldn’t get to 242 and fell 31 runs short of reaching that total.
South Africa lead by 31 runs and they will bat tomorrow in the morning session. If the batters see through the 1st session where the ball is helpful for the bowlers, then they might be in a dominating position.
The Proteas should look to extend this lead to a daunting score, which the Kiwis might not have thought off and they should also aim to bat the whole day of day 3, just like they did on the 1st day.
The Blackcaps should again be reliant on their bowlers to deliver after they failed with the bat in hand. Skipper Southee, Wagner and O'Rourke will hold the key for the home side in the second innings of the Proteas. Like the first Test match, this game will also not go till five days.
