NZ take charge after Proteas collapse

BJ Watling dives for the bails as Theunis de Bruyn is dismissed.
BJ Watling dives for the bails as Theunis de Bruyn is dismissed.

Hashim Amla (left) and Theunis de Bruyn collide, resulting in de Bruyn being run out. Photo: Getty Images
Hashim Amla (left) and Theunis de Bruyn collide, resulting in de Bruyn's runout. Photo: Getty

New Zealand moved within reach of a series-levelling win in the third and final test in Hamilton on Tuesday after South Africa's batsmen crashed to 80 for five in their second innings at the close of day four.

Proteas captain Faf du Plessis and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock were each 15 not out and tasked with the rescue job, their side still 95 runs behind New Zealand's first innings of 489 at Seddon Park.

South Africa lead the series 1-0 after an eight-wicket victory in the second match in Wellington and a draw in the first test in Dunedin.

The Proteas' middle and lower order have proved difficult to dislodge throughout the series but their top order again failed to provide a foundation.

After Dean Elgar chased a swinging delivery from Colin de Grandhomme and was caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling, it was a steady stream of specialist batsmen back to the pavilion.

Theunis de Bruyn was run out in comical circumstances when he and Hashim Amla collided attempting a single, while Amla attempted to cut a Jeetan Patel delivery only for the ball to rebound off Watling's gloves to de Grandhomme at first slip.

JP Duminy then failed to play at a Patel arm ball and was bowled before Temba Bavuma completed the misery for the top six when he played a loose stroke to a Matt Henry delivery and was caught by Watling to leave the visitors 59 for five.

The hosts were dismissed for 489 before tea, giving them a 175-run lead. De Grandhomme was the last man out for 57 - his maiden test half century.

De Grandhomme had joined Watling after lunch following Mitchell Santner's dismissal for 41 in the final over before the break.

The situation was tailor-made for the fast-scoring right hander, with New Zealand having struggled against a tight South Africa attack in the first session.

Watling and Henry both fell while trying to attack left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj before Patel was bounced out by Kagiso Rabada with the third new ball.

Jeetan Patel (centre) is congratulated after taking the wicket of Hashim Amla. Photo: Getty Images
Jeetan Patel (centre) is congratulated after taking the wicket of Hashim Amla. Photo: Getty Images

Earlier, Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson's 176 from 285 balls was pivotal to giving the hosts an ascendancy difficult to predict after their Wellington capitulation inside three days. He hooked Morne Morkel to Vern Philander at long leg after a tenure of 449 minutes across 98.4 overs.

He received assistance from Mitchell Santner (41 from 151 balls) in an 88-run fifth-wicket stand. De Grandhomme (57 off 70 balls) contributed a late cameo with his highest test score.

De Grandhomme's innings added valuable punch, given Santner and Williamson exited before lunch.

Having begun the penultimate day of the season at 321 for four, seven runs ahead in a test New Zealand must win to square the series, they had moved to 397 for six by the interval.

As speculation turned to the likelihood of Williamson completing his second test double century, he was out.

He achieved the second highest score by a New Zealand batsman against South Africa - only bettered by Stephen Fleming's 262 at Cape Town in 2006. Then the captain hooked hard at Morne Morkel. Vernon Philander took a low, tumbling catch at long leg. Williamson looked crestfallen, clutching his helmet.

Mitchell Santner bats for the Black Caps this morning against South Africa. Photo: Getty Images
Mitchell Santner bats for the Black Caps this morning against South Africa. Photo: Getty Images

Only five New Zealand players have scored more than one test double ton - Brendon McCullum (four), Fleming (three), Glenn Turner, Mathew Sinclair and Ross Taylor.

Santner pushed at a ball from Kagiso Rabada, who gave him some uncomfortable moments. JP Duminy took the catch at gully.

The first session was all about bedding in for New Zealand. There were only two boundaries in the first 65 minutes, both by Santner off Rabada.

One was a clip through square leg, the other an uncontrolled hook to fine leg. His most attacking stroke came shortly after drinks when he used his feet to loft Keshav Maharaj back over his head.

Morkel (four for 100 from 36.1 overs) and Rabada (four for 122 from 34 overs) were the pick of the bowlers, but they had to toil hard for those rewards.

 

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