Proteas captain Dean Elgar walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the day one of the first Test against New Zealand. Photo: Marty Melville/AFP
Day 1 of 5
South Africa 95 all out
New Zealand 116/3
JOHANNESBURG – New Zealand struck early, hard and regularly to blow away South Africa’s batting within two sessions on the opening day of the series in Christchurch on Thursday.
On a tricky surface, with a thick grass covering, there was plenty of seam movement, bounce and some swing which bowlers in both teams relished. Needing to hit back, the Proteas’ seamers found some joy as well, claiming three wickets before the close, although it should have been more were it not for some sloppy fielding.
The Black Caps have control of the match heading into the second day with a lead of 21 runs and the pitch having flattened appreciably as the sun beat down on it.
ALSO READ: Proteas hoping runs will be easy to find at Hagley Oval
Devon Conway’s dismissal, 15 minutes before stumps – bowled off the inside edge by Duanne Olivier for 36 – lifted the spirits a little. Henry Nicholls survived two chances; the first when he had five, with Zubayr Hamza spilling a simple chance at third slip, and then Temba Bavuma also missed an easy catch at point when Nicholls was on 23.
He will resume on Friday on 37 alongside nightwatchman, Neil Wagner who has scored one. Wagner was also dropped at shortleg by Rassie van der Dussen in the final over of the day.
Elgar lost his sixth toss in a row earlier, giving the hosts a significant advantage, which they used superbly, with Matt Henry, who is only playing in this Test because Trent Boult’s on paternity leave, taking a career best 7/23.
❌ DAY 1 | STUMPS@BLACKCAPS end the opening day's play on 116/3 with a lead of 21 runs. Earlier, the #Proteas were dismissed for 95.#NZvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/wkvriayTgd
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 17, 2022
The 30-year-old right arm seamer started the rot by dismissing Elgar with the 10th ball of the match, drawing the South African captain into a drive and finding the outside edge, with Tim Southee completing a good catch low to his left at third slip.
Sarel Erwee, as forecast, was included in the starting XI but made just 10, before falling to a snorter from Kyle Jamieson, that bounced and seamed enough to catch the outside edge. Erwee was one of three changes, with Glenton Stuurman making his debut in place of Lungi Ngidi, who injured his back at training on Wednesday.
ALSO READ: New Zealand will be ‘dangerous’ with or without key players, says Elgar
The other change to the side that beat India at Newlands a month ago saw Hamza replace Keshav Maharaj. While the change itself wasn’t a surprise, given the ineffectiveness of spinners at Hagley Oval, the fact that Hamza got roped in as the extra batter instead of Ryan Rickelton was.
The Lions left-hander was part of the Proteas squad for the India series and he is also the most in-form batter in the four-day domestic competition, averaging 118.25 and making three centuries for his province. Hamza had only been called up to the tour party when Keegan Petersen was ruled out after contracting Covid-19.
Besides not wanting to field too many debutants, the only other possible reason for Hamza being picked ahead of Rickelton, was that South Africa’s targets were short of the prescribed five black players for a starting XI.
As it turned out, Hamza would finish as the top scorer in a disastrous batting performance in which the lack of composure from the South African batters was one noteworthy feature. The other being the discipline from the New Zealand bowlers.
Hamza had played some lovely shots in his innings of 25, but having done so much hard work, he threw his wicket away by pushing at a ball he should have left alone.
The same fate had befallen Aiden Markram earlier while Temba Bavuma also tossed his wicket away by casually clipping a half volley from Southee to Conway fielding at midwicket.
Henry deserves credit for putting enough deliveries in difficult areas to unsettle the tourists. He had the ball moving away from the right handers, while the odd one tailed back into the batters to keep them honest.
His figures were the third best Test figures by a New Zealander, while South Africa’s first innings total was its lowest against the Kiwis, eclipsing the 148 made at the Wanderers in 1953.
Marco Jansen and Duanne Olivier struck two important early blows with Jansen removing Will Young, with a lovely delivery that angled across the right hander and found the outside edge of his bat, while Olivier bowled New Zealand’s captain, Tom Latham with a peach, that beat the outside edge and clipped the top of off-stump.
Conway and Nicholls shared a partnership of 75 for the third wicket, absorbing much of South Africa’s sting and then capitalising against some loose bowling as spirits dropped because of missed chances, the pitch flattening and the ball getting softer.
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