Few dismissals could have been avoided: Hashim Amla

A diligent bowling effort from New Zealand saw South Africa struggling on Day 1 of the first Test of the series at Durban. Apart from Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma, no one made a valuable contribution and the hosts were down to 236/8 at stumps on Day 1.

Amla feels that South Africa could have avoided a few dismissals as some batsmen forced their way onto be dismissed. “Quite a few of us got out to deliveries in ways that could have been avoided,” Amla said. “I tried to bat normally. It wasn’t a conscious effort to score quickly. If I look at anybody else, they were hitting the half-volleys and cut shots. That’s what you need to do to score runs.”

Quinton de Kock played aggressively for a run-a-ball 33 but got dismissed on the urge of piling in runs. “Someone like Quinny has been around for three or four years and he is aggressive by nature,” Amla said.

“He plays that way. He got a quick 30 and had he not got out, we would have been in a good position. As he becomes more experienced, he will work it out. He played exceptionally well to get us some momentum, but, unfortunately, he didn’t bat through,” he added.

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Trent Boult was in great rhythm: Neil Wagner

Neil Wagner was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, as he claimed 3 wickets. “Trent bowled really well to start, and that set the day up for us. He looked like he was in great rhythm,” Wagner said.

While Amla is hoping the tail-enders to add some crucial runs to the total, Wagner pointed the importance of picking those 2 wickets as early as possible and applying themselves with the bat.

“With the wicket having a little bit more bounce here, your margin of error was a little smaller in Bulawayo,” the 30-year-old said. “As a bowler, you can get a little bit carried away here, but I thought everybody bowled exceptionally well in partnerships today. We are pretty happy with where we are, but we know we still need to get two crucial wickets tomorrow and then go in with the bat and apply ourselves.” concluded Wagner.