Test cricket hasn’t been played in August in Durban before and the wicket is something of an unknown – it looks to have a bit of grass with some bare patches. Now they are a lowly seventh, two places behind New Zealand.
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Philander had an ankle injury before the second Test in India and has missed South Africa’s last seven Tests.
Steyn strained his groin in the first innings of the Mohali match and did not bowl in the second innings.
Stand-in South African skipper Faf du Plessis backed his batting line-up, but it was the Black Caps bowlers who came up trumps on day one in Durban.
With New Zealand’s seamers enjoying the assistance on offer, South Africa found itself under a relentless assault of quality bowling.
Philander was in Australia earlier this month with South Africa A, and he bowled with the control and movement that makes him such a handful when at his best.
Rabada (14 not out) and Dale Steyn (8 not out) survived until the end, when bad light ended play with more than 12 overs still left.
The New Zealanders will be the happier of the two teams, and the South Africans will have to hope that the conditions remain overcast in the morning to assist their three-man pace attack.
Brendon McCullum, the former captain, identified the losses as a turning point, with the players getting together and appraising honestly their attitude to cricket.
Standing in for the injured AB de Villers, du Plessis” decision was based on a “if in doubt, back your batsmen’ theory and it looked a smart call as openers Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar safely negotiated the initial Black Caps assault.
The series, which will be played in South Africa, will be broadcast across Sky NZ’s four sports channels.
Kane Williamson, who has blossomed into one of the world’s top batsmen, started his reign as New Zealand Test captain with two easy wins in Zimbabwe in recent weeks.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wkt), Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult.
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Play was delayed by 30 minutes due to a wet outfield at the start of the day, and the ill-advised idea to have a Test in the middle of winter in South Africa showed in a slow pitch that made batting hard.
