The duo resisted South Africa’s potent pace attack for nearly two hours before Watling (32) was adjudged leg before wicket to a Dane Piedt delivery that turned back sharply, shortly before tea.
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Steyn and Vernon Philander, abetted by exaggerated variable bounce on a deteriorating SuperSport Park surface, set up South Africa’s first Test series win since early 2015 by ripping through New Zealand’s top order in a devastating seven-over period before lunch.
Neil Wagner (2-51) was the best bowler but New Zealand didn’t make the early progress it hoped for after winning the toss. Tom Latham was bowled by the first ball of the visitors’ second innings, leaving a delivery too close to his stumps, and Martin Guptill fell to the sixth, edging to Hashim Amla at slip.
JP DUMINY wasted a chance to score what would have been his first century in 14 completed innings in the second test against New Zealand at Centurion on Sunday‚ but SA powered past 350 regardless. New Zealand went in to Lunch on Day Four at 18 for 4, with Henry Nicholls and BJ Watling at the crease. He could have had one off the first ball of the morning, which nipped back into du Plessis and nearly took out off-stump. “You’re right. That first session, we were a little short”, he said.
Kane Williamson wasn’t so much rueing his decision to bowl first as much as his side’s performance in the field during the first innings as the Black Caps succumbed to a heavy defeat in the series-deciding test against South Africa.
“It will be tough to be a top team without Dale and Vernon, it’s wonderful as a captain to be able to throw them the ball and know that the run-rate will be less than three and they will get wickets as well, that’s why they are so good”. But an unplayable bouncer from Doug Bracewell, jagging into the left-hander from around the wicket and rearing towards his head, caused him to glove a catch to gully.
“To get to 400-plus, there was a lot happening on that wicket, especially on day one”, said du Plessis, who led from the front with an unbeaten century in the first innings. Tim Southee bowled Philander and finished with three for 46.
Kagiso Rabada, hitting the high 130-kph range as opposed to the 150 mark he regularly clocked in the first innings, struggled for fluency, rhythm and accuracy before tea.
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South Africa slid to 6-105 on the third day of the second and final Test against New Zealand but are still firmly in command at Centurion, holding a 372-run lead.
