Once again they failed to cope with the Proteas’ dual pace threat of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, the former the chief destroyer on day four with 5-33.
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Guptill’s struggles continued as he was caught at third slip off Philander (1-10), while Latham may feel hard done by to have fallen to Steyn (1-18) when the on-field umpire’s not-out ruling was overturned by the third umpire, who deemed he nicked back to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
Tom Latham (0) departed first ball attempting to leave a Steyn delivery that reared up to hit the bat before ricocheting onto the stumps. Tim Southee’s short ball ballooned up, Duminy tried to pull it but got a small edge to be caught behind, ending a 158-ball stay.
Steyn (5-33) gave South Africa the ideal start by removing both the openers, Tom Latham (0) and Martin Guptill (0) in the very first over.
Following the feast of the morning, came an afternoon of relative starvation for the South African bowlers, who picked up just one wicket with New Zealand going to tea on 95/5.
Nicholls brought up his second Test half-century after the break in the company of Mitchell Santner. The home team got the advantage nearly immediately, after Steyn’s opening burst yielded three wickets in his first 10 balls to leave New Zealand reeling. At 7 for 4, South Africa were clearly on top.
The left-armed Wagner, born and raised in nearby Pretoria, was New Zealand’s most successful bowler, taking four for 76.
Centurion: Live score and Live Streaming from Day 4 of the second Test between South Africa and New Zealand.
All of South Africa’s top five batsmen made half-centuries after New Zealand’s decision to put South Africa in to bat backfired.
Du Plessis bemoaned the failure of his batsmen to convert good starts into big scores in the first Test and seemed determined to set an example against steady bowling on a pitch still offering some help to the seam bowlers.
BJ Watling led a recovery of some sorts, adding 68 for the fifth wicket with Nicholls, but was sent back leg-before for 32 during off-spinner Dane Piedt’s second over. “And KG (Rabada) is bowling at 150 km/h and getting wickets”.
With Vernon Philander also chiming in with the key wicket of Kane Williamson the visitors suddenly found themselves on 7/4 in pursuit of a target of 400.
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Neil Wagner (2-51) was the best bowler but New Zealand didn’t make the early progress it hoped for after winning the toss.
