New Zealand vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day-3: 5 Talking Points

Day 3 of the New Zealand vs South Africa was a 50-50 day for both the teams. Starting the day with 177 for 3, the Kiwis managed to get a lead of mere 33 runs with their Captain playing a fine innings of 130 runs.

Williamson started the day with the nightwatchman Jeetan Patel. It didn’t took the visitors long, to get rid of the off spinner. He was dismissed in the 3^rd over of the day when Captain Du Plessis took a blinder of a catch at second slip on the bowling of Vernon Philander.

The Kiwi’s Captain was very cautious in the beginning and he took 29 deliveries and almost an hour to get off the mark. Coming back into the team after a long time (because of injury), Morne Morkel picked up his first wicket of James Neesham as the batsman dabble at a delivery outside off and got a thin edge to wicket-keeper de Kock.

The first session produced 70 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in which the skipper got to his 16^th Test century carrying on from where he left yesterday. New Zealand were 277 for 5 when their captain departed for a fine 130 runs off 241 balls scoring 18 boundaries. Watling scored his 13^th Test fifty but was soon dismissed by off spinner Maharaj.

Here are the 5 talking points of day 3 play:

#1) South Africa draws first blood:

It can be really frustrating for a team if the night watchman gets set and starts to score quickly. This can really hurt any team, but the Proteas didn’t allow that to happen and picked up the wicket of Jeetan Patel in the 3^rd over of the day.

They soon got rid of the danger man James Neesham who generally scores quickly but was unable to get going today as he was dismissed on 7 from 30 balls.

#2) Kane Williamson’s century:

Williamson started cautiously not taking any chances. He got to his 16^th test century when his team really needed him to play to get one. He put a partnership of 84 runs with wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling for the 6^th wicket, which was imperative for the Kiwis at that point. He would have loved to get a big one and give his team a good lead but was dismissed on 130.

#3) South Africa got through the tail:

The Proteas knew that the only thing standing between them and lead was Williamson. Once they got him, it was a matter of time and they run through the tail quickly. Ross Taylor was not able to come and bat as he pulled his calf muscle yesterday. Taylor came on to bat at No 10 when score was 328 for 8. Neil Wagner scored a run-a-ball 32. Last four wickets of New Zealand could only manage 64 runs.

#4) Keshav Maharaj was the star for the visitors:

Not many give thoughts that a spinner would pick up a fiver in New Zealand as the pitches there generally assist the fast bowler. The off spinner was brilliant in his spell as he picked up 5 for 94 in his 28.3 overs. It was his first five wicket hall in his early of career of just 5 matches.

#5) Amla and Elgar erase New Zealand:

The visitors too didn’t had the best of starts when they lost their first wicket for zero when Stephen Cook edged one to the keeper in the first over itself. From there on Amla and 1^st innings centurion Elgar studied the ship and got themselves at 38 for 1 at end of day’s play, thereby leading the Kiwis by 5 runs.

It would be a fascinating day’s of play tomorrow, as the pitch will not be easy for batting and if South Africa can mange a lead of around 250, it is not going to be easy for hosts to chase them down.