South Africa v New Zealand 2nd Test, Day 1 - 5 Talking Points

The coin flipped visiting skipper Kane Williamson’s way and he was certain they wanted to bowl first. But Tim Southee & Co. were greeted by a more determined South African opening pair of Stephen Cook and Quinton de Kock. They didn’t find any success in the first session as de Kock went back unbeaten having already scored a half-century. The Kiwi bowlers came with a better strategy to test the South African openers with the nagging line in the second session but even that didn’t play off and they had to switch to the short ball.

They didn’t give in to it and showed a lot of character in their approach. Soon after the break Cook got to his fifty as well but was dismissed for 56. Doug Bracewell got them the first wicket. De Kock was also accounted for 82 and Hashim Amla and JP Duminy who followed also scored half-tons. Powered by the top order South Africa ended the day with 283 runs against 3 wickets with Duminy batting unbeaten on 67 and Faf du Plessis on 13.

1. The opening stand:

The Proteas had a 133 runs opening stand the best for them since the Test against Zimbabwe in 2005. Both Quinton de Kock and Cook batted as per the plan and countered all of what the New Zealand bowlers put ahead of them. De Kock in his usual style scored a lot of boundaries – 15 in his innings. The last time South African openers added 100 runs was against India in Johannesburg. This is in fact, is the first century stand for the team in 34 Test innings. This is also the highest opening stand for them in 19 innings since 2014.

2. Quinton de Kock’s knock:

The left-hander played with the classic approach. Saw off the tough phase of the innings. Was patient when the bowlers tested them. Didn’t take the risk which wasn’t required and as the textbook guides suggest was benefitted with a reward for it. In his 114-ball stay at the crease de Cock played positive cricket and scored a lot of his runs in boundaries. He hit 15 fours in his 82 runs and had a strike rate of 71.92 during his knock. It helped South Africa get off to a really good start and that has laid the foundation for a huge first innings total.

Also read: Twitter Reactions: South Africa ride on top order on Day 1

3. Half-centuries by top 4:

All of the top four batsmen Quinton de Kock (82 from 114 balls), Stephen Cook (56 from 143 balls), Hashim Amla (58 from 91 balls) and JP Duminy (67 from 122 balls) scored half-tons. This was one of those rare occasions in Test cricket and in recent years for the South African team that the all of the top 4 batsmen scored fifties. After a good opening stand between de Kock and Cook, Amla and Duminy ensured that they capitalized and built on a stronger inning. Though Amla got out towards the end of the day Duminy was still there with Faf.

4. Hashim Amla:

The ever so consistent Hashim Amla played his classic drives and the flicks. Coming in to bat at no.3 after the dismissal of Cook he ensured that the New Zealand bowlers were denied any success. The Kiwi bowlers devised various strategies from the outside off stump to the short balls but he wasn’t going to give in. Amla registered his fourth consecutive fifty-plus score in Centurion. His 11th fifty-plus score in the 15 innings he has played in Tests at this venue. It was his 50th half century score in 93 Tests.

5. Neil Wagner picked a couple while Southee, Boult, Santner went wicketless:

The New Zealand bowlers weren’t sure what they were supposed to do. They did what is said to find bowlers success in the first session of a Test but that didn’t bring them success. Their bowling spearhead Tim Southee and his partner Trent Boult went wicketless. The swing bowling duo bowled a total of 39.2 overs among them but couldn’t find a single wicket. Surprisingly Michael Santner was only bowled for 8 overs in which he gave away 33 runs and bowled one maiden. Only Doug Bracewell and Niel Wagner were the two bowlers who got wickets while Bracewell got the opening wicket it was the only one that he got. Later in the inning Wagner got a couple and was the best Kiwi bowler on the day.