Great Danes skittle NZ as SA take lead in Hamilton

HAMILTON: South Africa skittled New Zealand’s tail to dismiss their hosts for 211 and take a shock first-innings lead of 31 runs on day two of the second Test at Seddon Park on Wednesday.

Off-spinner Dane Piedt (5-89) and seamer Dane Paterson (3-39) did most of the damage as the Proteas removed the last seven New Zealand batters for 66 runs after lunch. It would have been worse but for Neil Wagner’s 27-ball 33, which featured two thumping sixes and helped the hosts creep a bit closer to South Africa’s tally of 242.

With a slew of Test rookies sent over to New Zealand while their more experienced compatriots played in Cricket South Africa’s Twenty20 competition, little was expected of Neil Brand’s side in Hamilton.

Those expectations were lowered even further when Brand named two spinners, including the recalled Piedt, to face off against New Zealand’s four-pronged seam attack.

New Zealand, comfortable 281-run winners in the first Test last week, had ended South Africa’s innings in the first 40 minutes of play for the addition of only 22 runs. Debutant paceman Will O’Rourke (4-59) took three of the four wickets and will start the second innings on a hat-trick after removing Ruan de Swardt (64) and Paterson in successive balls to complete the dismissal.

Despite opener Devon Conway’s poor run of form continuing and Kane Williamson departing for 43, the Black Caps batsmen looked well set to grind out the day and get at least to parity when they reached tea on 121-3.

Quick Tshepo Moreki struck first after the break when Rachin Ravindra, a double centurion in the first test, played the ball onto his own stumps for 29.

Tom Blundell also played on to fall for four to Paterson, who later removed New Zealand skipper Tim Southee for five.

Piedt had already accounted for dangerman Williamson and opener Tom Latham. The 33-year-old returned to end New Zealand’s hopes of a middle-order partnership by having Glenn Phillips caught behind for four, and earned his fourth victim when Will Young (36) made an ill-advised charge down the track and holed out in the deep.

Matt Henry was run out for 10 and Piedt finally ended New Zealand’s resistance when Wagner also charged him only to completely miss the ball and watch helplessly as Clyde Fortuin stumped him.

South Africa 1st Innings

Neil Brand (c) lbw b O’Rourke 25

Clyde Fortuin † c Phillips b Henry 0

Raynard Tonder c Latham b Wagner 32

Zubayr Hamza c Santner b Ravindra 20

Bedingham c Young b Ravindra 39

Petersen c Southee b Ravindra 2

Ruan de Swardt b O’Rourke 64

Shaun von Berg b O’Rourke 38

Dane Piedt c †Blundell b Southee 4

Tshepo Moreki not out 4

Dane Paterson c Latham b O’Rourke 0

Extras: (b 9, lb 2, w 3) 14

Total: 97.2 Overs (RR: 2.48) 242

Fall: 1-4, 2-40, 3-63, 4-99, 5-101, 6-150, 7-227, 8-234, 9-242, 10-242

Bowling: Tim Southee 25-8-63-1; Matt Henry 17-5-44-1; William O’Rourke 18.2-4-59-4; Neil Wagner 16-6-32-1; Rachin Ravindra 21-8-33-3

New Zealand 1st Innings

Tom Latham b Piedt 40

Devon Conway c †Fortuin b Paterson 0

Williamson c van Tonder b Piedt 43

Rachin Ravindra b Moreki 29

Will Young c de Swardt b Piedt 36

Tom Blundell † b Paterson 4

Glenn Phillips c †Fortuin b Piedt 4

Henry run out (Hamza/†Fortuin) 10

Southee (c) c van Tonder b Paterson 5

Neil Wagner st †Fortuin b Piedt 33

William O’Rourke not out 0

Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 1) 7

Total: 77.3 Overs (RR: 2.72) 211

Fall: 1-1, 2-75, 3-86, 4-145, 5-157, 6-162, 7-163, 8-170, 9-183, 10-211

Bowling: Dane Paterson 17-6-39-3; Tshepo Moreki 13-4-32-1; Dane Piedt

32.3-5-89-5; Shaun von Berg 13-3-40-0; Ruan de Swardt 2-0-5-0