Allrounder Wayne Parnell, another who was in Australia with South Africa A, is the only member of the 15-man squad who did not play in the most recent Test series against the English at the start of the year. The pitch will be an unknown quantity for both sides, as it’s the first time the venue will have hosted a Test match in August.
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Hashim Amla’s fluid 53 was the top score for South Africa, while Neil Wagner claimed 3-47 and Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner took two wickets apiece.
Their performances left the Proteas bowlers trying to swing the willow and give themselves something to bowl at on day two after their batsmen had been largely unable to justify the confidence du Plessis showed in choosing to bat first.
For South Africa, seamers Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn returned after lengthy injury spells and will provide a potentially fearsome seam attack along with Kagiso Rabada.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said he would have opted to bowl had he won the toss.
Hashim Amla, whose test career on his home ground has been patchy, set about the Kiwi bowling with a quick-fire 42 from 41 balls and was unbeaten with JP Duminy (13) at the end of the first session.
Three overs later Elgar was caught at the second slip by Martin Guptill off Doug Bracewell for 19.
Just 10 minutes and three runs later the Black Caps had an even bigger scalp, jubilant when Boult got one to swing back enough to create an inside edge which came off the back thigh and ballooned through to gloveman BJ Watling.
Du Plessis, in particular, was happy to simply deny the visitors more wickets and as the days play meandered past the halfway mark the fifth-wicket stand actually lost impetus.
The economical Boult went for 18 runs in 13 overs as South Africa struggled to settle on a hard wicket in unfamiliar circumstances as they hosted an out-of-season test in August in Durban for the first time. But we had to be patient and not get frustrated with the ball just passing the bat. The opening stand was worth 33 runs.
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Worse was to follow as Bavuma, who had looked in control for a classy 46 off 89 balls (7×4), tried to sweep his next ball from Santner but missed.
