Tim Southee’s team encountered some defiance on day four of the first test but eventually completed the convincing victory that had looked likely since Kane Williamson and player-of-the-match Rachin Ravindra posted opening-day centuries.
After declaring overnight to set the Proteas a target of 579 at Bay Oval, Kyle Jamieson (4-58) and Mitchell Santner (3-59) combined to seal a 281-run triumph shortly before the scheduled close of play.
"We knew it was going to be hard work on that surface," Southee said. "Any time you win a test match inside four days it’s always very pleasing. It was a pretty good effort set up by the batters on day one."
Excluding innings victories, this was New Zealand’s second-largest test win by runs, trailing their 423-run thrashing of Sri Lanka in 2018. And it was a margin many would have anticipated from the moment South Africa named a squad missing their first-choice XI, left at home on domestic T20 duty.
With the tourists offering over four days no reason to expect much different when the second test starts at Seddon Park on Tuesday, the Black Caps now have history at hand.
New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a test series, unsuccessful in 16 attempts across almost a century. The prize appeared close when a full-strength Proteas last toured in 2022, but a crushing first-test win was reversed a week later.
It would require an extraordinary change of fortune for that scenario to repeat, and while a breakthrough conquest could feel hollow given the second-string nature of the opposition, the Proteas’ selection is no fault of Southee’s side.
"There was a lot of talk around it before the test," the skipper said of the touring party. "We know that any South African sports team is going to fight — they’re very passionate people and we knew they were going to be up for it.
"It’s a unique situation with the timing and scheduling of this series. You look at the test game and it’s as exciting as it’s ever been.
"For all the players who play it, they love it. For me, it’s the pinnacle. And I hope there’s a way to keep the appetite and the fans engaged in the format."
South Africa’s shadow XI did their part on day four, showing more mettle than they had managed in the rest of the test combined.
That initially seemed improbable as the Black Caps struck twice in four balls to begin the morning, Southee swinging a delightful delivery around Neil Brand’s defences before Edward Moore spooned Matt Henry to extra cover.
But despite Santner threatening, having one big shout turned down and seeing a blazing edge fly barely past slip, Zubayr Hamza and Raynard van Tonder frustrated the hosts with a sturdy 63-run stand.
Once more, one wicket brought two, as shortly after lunch Jamieson found van Tonder’s edge and induced a false shot from Hamza the following over, a pivotal period according to Southee.
"We took wickets at the start of each session, which was very pleasing, and that little burst after lunch where KJ removed the two set batters was a crucial moment of the day."
While that pair had been batting for time, David Bedingham (87 off 96) opted for the opposite approach, launching a blistering counterattack to register the tourists’ only half-century of the test.
With the ball doing little and the pitch offering less, Southee began bowling to a clear plan late in the middle session — and was prepared to cop some stick to see it through.
The skipper, who had conceded only 18 from his first eight overs, positioned four boundary-riders on the legside and watched Bedingham clobber his short-ball barrage for 27 runs in the space of six balls.
But the plan paid dividends the over after tea as the batter backed himself to repeat the feat facing the extra height of Jamieson only to pick out Santner to deep midwicket.
Victory was in sight and, once Glenn Phillips had picked up his first test wicket in New Zealand, secured when Santner recorded a new best match haul of 6-93.
