History in sight for dominant Black Caps

By Kris Shannon

Ninety-two years since the two nations first met in test cricket, New Zealand are within sight of a maiden series win over South Africa.

Tim Southee’s team encountered some defiance on day four of the first test at Bay Oval but eventually completed the comprehensive victory that had looked likely since player-of-the-match Rachin Ravindra notched a double century on day two.

Having declared overnight to set the Proteas a target of 579, Kyle Jamieson (4-58) and Mitchell Santner (3-59) combined to seal a 281-run triumph shortly before the scheduled close of play.

Excluding innings victories, it was New Zealand’s second-largest test win by runs, trailing their 423-run thrashing of Sri Lanka in 2018.

And it was a margin many would have anticipated from the moment South Africa named a squad bereft of their first-choice XI, left at home on domestic T20 duty.

With the tourists offering over four days no reason to expect much different when the second test starts at Seddon Park on Tuesday, history is now at hand for the Black Caps.

New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a test series, denied in 16 attempts across almost a century. That prize appeared close when a full-strength Proteas last toured in 2022, but a crushing first-test win was reversed a week later.

It would require an extraordinary change in fortunes for history to repeat and while a breakthrough triumph could feel hollow given the second-string nature of the opposition, the Proteas’ selection is no fault of Southee and his team.

South Africa’s shadow XI showed more mettle on day four than they had managed in the rest of the test combined.

That initially seemed improbable as the Black Caps struck twice in four balls to begin the morning, Southee swinging a delightful delivery around Neil Brand’s defences before Edward Moore spooned Matt Henry to extra cover.

But despite Santner threatening, having one big shout turned down and seeing a blazing edge fly barely past slip, Zubayr Hamza and Raynard van Tonder frustrated the hosts with a sturdy 63-run stand.

Once more, one brought two, as shortly after lunch Jamieson found van Tonder’s edge and induced a false shot from Hamza the following over.

While that pair had been batting for time, David Bedingham (87 off 96) opted for the opposite approach, launching a blistering counterattack to register the tourists’ only half century of the test.

With the ball doing little and the pitch offering less, Southee began bowling to a clear plan late in the session - and was prepared to cop some stick to see it through.

The skipper, who had conceded only 18 from his first eight overs, positioned four boundary-riders on the legside and watched Bedingham clobber his short-ball barrage for 27 runs in the space of six balls.

But that plan paid off the over after tea as the batter backed himself to repeat the feat against Jamieson, only to pick out Santner to deep midwicket.

Victory was in sight and, after Glenn Phillips picked up his first test wicket in New Zealand, was secured as Santner recorded a new best match haul of 6-93.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission