NZ v SA 2nd Test, Day 1 Review: New Zealand strike twice after being bowled out for 268

The hosts New Zealand didn’t have an ideal start to the Test match right from the onset and after a batting failure at the top of the order looked likely to be wrapped up cheaply. Henry Nicholls in the middle order had other plans and stood his ground to take the team to a relatively good score. Towards the end of the day, their bowlers brought them back in the game with two quick strikes.

At the Basin Reserve in Wellington Faf du Plessis won the toss and considering the pitch, his bowling attack and the conditions decided to bowl first. There was initial movement on offer and Tom Latham’s poor run stretched longer as he edged Morne Morkel to Dean Elgar in the slips after scoring just 8 runs. Kagiso Rabada was brought in as the first change bowler in the 9th over and he swung a full delivery into Kane Williamson and the skipper was on his way back for just 2 runs.

Williamson took a review but the ball tracking for that ball was not available as the DRS couldn’t use all the features. The malfunction is believed to have been caused by some mud that went off the ground with the bowler’s steps. Unfortunately for Williamson, the on-field call stayed but since the DRS wasn’t available in full effect it didn’t cost New Zealand a review.

In his next over Rabada ended Neil Broom’s maiden Test inning in 4 balls and the scorers weren’t troubled. 3 down for 21 and New Zealand looked in trouble but that was when Henry Nicholls and James Neesham initiated the repair. They got together a 52-run partnership but was broken when Neesham was stumped by Quinton de Kock off Keshav Maharaj.

Nicholls then had a stand with wicketkeeper BJ Watling. They spent quality time in the middle and defied South African bowlers of any further success. Watling played 132 deliveries for his 34. The duo added 116 runs for the 6th wicket partnership. In the mean time 25-year-old, Nicholls got to his maiden Test century that now complements the 4 fifties he has in his 12-Test career. He reached the hundred in 150 balls and had hit 12 boundaries till then.

He carried on from there and was eventually dismissed by part-timer JP Duminy for 118. The off-spinner claimed Colin de Grandhomme and Watling to trigger the collapse. From 222/8 the Kiwi tail wagged a bit with Tim Southee scoring 27 and Jeetan Patel staying unbeaten on 17 it took their first innings total to 268. Duminy was the unlikely hero for South Africa with the ball as he claimed 4 wickets in his 11.3 overs spell. Among other bowlers, Morkel and Rabada shared 2 wickets each along with the specialist spinner Maharaj.

With half hour’s play left before stumps in the day, the Black Caps bowlers were all charged to hand lethal blows to the Proteas. For the 7 overs, Williamson used just his two frontline pacers and both Southee and Grandhomme claimed a wicket each. They were without Trent Boult in the game since he suffered a groin injury on the fourth day of the 1st Test and couldn’t recover in time to feature in the ongoing match.

Stephen Cook who scored 0 and 3 in the previous match lasted just 12 balls before being caught by Neesham off Southee, the day ended on a low for the South Africans as Grandhomme had Elgar caught by the same fielder for 9.

Watch: Stunner from Quinton de Kock to dismiss Neil Broom:

@QuintonDekock12 you beauty !!! #NZvSA #ProteaFire @MikeHaysman pic.twitter.com/H61aMQV9IQ

— Nibraz Ramzan ?™ (@nibrazramzan) March 16, 2017

Brief Scores:

New Zealand: 268/10 in 79.3 overs (Henry Nicholls 118; JP Duminy 4/47)

South Africa: 24/2 in 7 overs (Kagiso Rabada 8*; C de Grandhomme 1/2)