New Zealand vs South Africa 2017, 1st Test, Day 3: Visitors Steady After Kane Williamson’s Ton

Jan 6, 2019 at 3:51 AM

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New Zealand vs South Africa 2017, 1st Test, Day 3: Visitors Steady After Kane Williamson’s Ton

South Africa and New Zealand played out yet another keenly fought day of cricket at Dunedin. New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson’s fine century laid the platform for the hosts to overhaul South Africa’s first innings total, before an injury-hit Ross Taylor along with tail-ender Neil Wagner helped New Zealand gain a slender lead.

Williamson and BJ Watling’s stout batting show meant that New Zealand, resuming at their overnight score of 177/3, smoothly sailed ahead despite the quick losses of nightwatchman Jeetan Patel and James Neesham in the first session.

Vernon Philander struck immediately by removing Jeetan in the third over of the fresh day. Neesham took time to make himself comfortable and consumed 30 deliveries for his seven before giving away his wicket to Morne Morkel.

At 193/5, wicket-keeper BJ Watling strolled in and joined his skipper to lead the revival. The pair engineered the fightback with a 27-over long stay in the middle to take their team close to South Africa’s first innings total of 308.

The 84-run sixth wicket stand was the second highest partnership in the Black Caps innings after the second wicket stand of 102, which also involved Kane Williamson along with opener Jeet Raval. However, before Williamson & co. could fantasize of grabbing a big lead, Keshav Maharaj marked their downfall with three lower-order wickets.

It began with Kagiso Rabada breaking the annoying stand with Williamson’s wicket. The new ball brought instant success for the Proteas with the extra pace and zip undoing the centurion, who hit the ball straight into the hands of wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. Maharaj then slipped in an arm-ball to break through the defence and clean bowl the batsman just after his fifty.

Neil Wagner, coming out at no.10, clubbed boundaries to ensure that his team secured a 33- run lead before becoming the last man to fall just before tea. Maharaj completed his five-wicket haul with the wicket of Boult and Wagner.

In the last session, Trent Boult started off with the wicket of Stephen Cook in the first over to keep the contest evenly poised.

Mid-way through the 7th over of South Africa’s second innings, the alarm in the main stand at University Oval went off. The play was disrupted for a brief amount of time before the umpires gave a go-ahead. However, the small break meant New Zealand could not bowl the fast-bowlers due to bad light.

Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla negotiated the spinners, pushing South Africa back into the lead until bad light finally ended play with 10 overs remaining.

Brief Scores:

First Innings

South Africa: 308 (Dean Elgar 140; Trent Boult 4/64)

New Zealand: 341 (Kane Williamson 130; Keshav Maharaj 5/94)

Second Innings

South Africa: 38/1 (Hashim Amla 23)

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