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SA vs NZ, 2nd Test, Day 2: Proteas fast bowlers leave Kiwis wobbling at 47/6

South Africa take on New Zealand on Day 2 of the 2nd test at Port Elizabeth.

Zeenews Sports Bureau / Arya Yuyutsu
SCORECARD» | COMMENTARY» ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 24 II Score: 47/6 Stumps: The day has belonged to South Africa as they first amassed a massive score of 525 with three batsmen making it to the magical three-figure mark: Amla, Faf the ‘Fab’ and youngster Dean Elgar. Given a tricky session to negotiate, the Kiwis struggled to cope with Steyn and Kleinveldt and have lost 6 quick wickets to give the home side the definitive advantage. It’s a long way back from here and join us tomorrow to see if the Black Caps can avoid the embarrassment of a follow-on. ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 19 II Score: 35/4 With 4 overs left to survive the day, New Zealand’s former keeper is joined in his vigil by New Zealand’s current keeper. Can they keep South Africa at bay? ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 16 II Score: 29/4 Kleinveldt’s got another one here. The Kiwis lose their fourth and Flynn’s given out LBW for nought. He asks for a review but it’s all in vain. New Zealand are crumbling like an old, dusty cookie forgotten in some recess of the kitchen. Watling walking in. One review left for each team now. And 6 wickets left for the Kiwis. DR Flynn lbw Kleinveldt 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 15 II Score: 27/3 South Africa are well on top here: Kleinveldt has gotten a wicket of his own as a short ball kisses Brownlie’s gloves on its way to AB de Villiers behind the stumps. That’s 3 down now and Daniel Flynn walks in. Crunch time for the Kiwis as South Africa is all over them like jam on a slice of bread. Further drama as Morkel traps McCullum in front of the stumps. Well, not exactly. The umpire gives ‘not out’, and Graeme Smith’s review goes in favour of the Black Caps as well. Tough few overs to end the day! DG Brownlie c de Villiers b Kleinveldt 10 (22b 2x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 10 II Score: 15/2 An uneventful 5 overs as the Kiwis look to settle down. Brownlie did slash and edge one of Kleinveldt who’s been brought into the attack. But it’s been pretty survival-based batting at the moment. ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 5 II Score: 8/2 Steyn gets another one now as the Kiwi batting line-up is threatening to implode. Williamson nips at a full ball outside off and that’s another edge and another safe catch. Captain Graeme Smith at first slip this time. Dean Brownlie is in to face the music. Can he turn a deaf ear to it? KS Williamson c Smith b Steyn 4 (5b 1x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 3 II Score: 2/1 That didn’t take long! Steyn has finally found someone to take the catch as Guptill has edged another one to the slip cordon. Lovely catching practice session mate! Peterson does the necessary. Kallis is relieved. Steyn is happy. Kane Williamson is the next man in. MJ Guptill c Peterson b Steyn 1 (11b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== New Zealand: Over: 2 II Score: 2/0 Steyn has started dangerously well, as expected, even getting Guptill to edge one to Kallis. Jacques, though, seems in a generous mood as he lets the easy chance go to ground. Play on, Guptill, make it count! ==================================================================================== South Africa have this game firmly by the scruff of its neck, if cricket matches were to have necks of course. They’ve piled on the runs in conditions that aren’t terribly easy to bat on, putting together good healthy partnerships every time New Zealand felt like they had a whiff of a chance. A mention for the three centurions, which sounds a lot like an old cartoon I once used to watch (“Power Extreme” and all that): Amla with a steady 110 after being dropped on 48, Faf du Plessis with an entertaining 137 and young Dean Elgar, who has had a disastrous start to his career before this, with a well-deserved 103 not out. Bracewell was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 3-94, troubling almost every batsman along the way. Time now for the Kiwis to stick it in and bat out this important final session of the day. Guptill and McCullum are already in the middle. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 153.5 II Score: 525/8 decl Declaration. That’s it. Dean Elgar has lofted one to long on to bring up his century in style. And Graeme Smith is itching to get back on the field it seems, as South Africa has finally declared. Elgar finishes on 103 not out. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 151 II Score: 513/8 Back from tea and I’ve barely had time to gulp down my cup of coffee as Steyn has succumbed to a short ball from Bracewell. Elgar needs to hurry up or he’ll be left stranded without partners. 6 more runs, Dean, 6 more runs! Meanwhile Rory Kleinveldt, the new man in, slams a boundary. DW Steyn c Patel b Bracewell 5 (23b 0x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 148 II Score: 505/7 Tea: South Africa have slowly swished past 500 as Elgar slashes his way ever closer to his maiden test ton. No declaration now then as the lefty is on 91. Will South Africa declare when he reaches his 100 or will they just hit out and be done with it? Find out after a cuppa. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 143 II Score: 481/7 And another one goes as Peterson perishes trying to hoick one over mid-wicket, only to direct it conveniently into Jeetan Patel’s nimble hands. Innings looks to be winding down and New Zealand get to bat for an entire session today. New man in is Dale Steyn. Munro now has two wickets. RJ Peterson c Patel b Munro 8 (13b 1x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 138 II Score: 469/6 And finally ‘Fab’ du Plessis, as we’ve termed Faf, has gone for one too many and a mistimed shot to McCullum has given the Kiwis a long-awaited wicket. Robin Peterson comes in as South Africa show more attacking intent. F du Plessis c McCullum b Munro 137 (252b 14x4 2x6) ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 132 II Score: 440/5 The post-lunch session has definitely seen some aggressive batting with both Elgar and du Plessis opting for a more positive approach. It’s definitely worked as Elgar has crossed his 50, a welcome boost to his young career. Faf, meanwhile, has gone on to 126 while the partnership is now worth 104 runs. The Proteans are running away here. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 120 II Score: 398/5 The first ball Faf faces after lunch is slammed over long on for a six. A wicked way to bring up his second ton. Faf is delighted with that. Wonder what he had for lunch! ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 119 II Score: 390/5 Lunch: A slow first session has come to an end as Faf and Elgar walk off or a quick meal. The Kiwis have been unlucky yet again and have bowled well on a helpful pitch. But due credit to the South Africans who have put together yet another 50-run partnership. Elgar is beginning to look good at 31 as Faf will struggle to eat, stuck on the ominous 99. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 112 II Score: 376/5 South Africa have plodded wearily on, as Grey would’ve put it, as du Plessis survived a close LBW call to move into the nervous 90s. Boult’s delivery wrapped him on the pads and was given not out by the ump and a Kiwi review only backed the umpire. Elgar meanwhile has only gained in confidence and has just lofted one over mid-on for four off Patel. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 102 II Score: 343/5 New Zealand has maintained the pressure after getting Amla out early in the day, bowling three consecutive maidens after that. The first 11 overs today went for just 11 runs and Elgar and Faf have had to deal with a fair bit of attack. And as we say that, Elgar has timed one perfectly to get three runs, before de Plessis cuts the next ball away for a boundary. Pressure still on the Proteans though! ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 98 II Score: 336/5 Hashim Amla has finally been dismissed and Boult gets him caught behind. Rather fortuitously, might I add. That was going down the leg side and Amla just about managed to nick it through to a gleeful Watling. There’s the big wicket New Zealand wanted early this morning. Dean Elgar is the new man in. HM Amla c Watling b Boult 110 (235b 8x4 0x6) ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 94 II Score: 333/4 A couple of quiet overs later Faf couldn’t keep it in any longer as he slams a gorgeous cover drive to the boundary. There has been some awkward bounce for the bowlers though and it’s not the best conditions for batting right now. ==================================================================================== South Africa: Over: 91 II Score: 329/4 And it’s play ball at Port Elizabeth. Bracewell steams in. Amla, sturdy as ever, leaves one, glances another for a couple and just continues from where he left off last evening. Faf, on his part, gets one coming in first up and is hit where it hurts most. Next ball he knocks it to square leg for a reassuring single. ==================================================================================== There's some rain in the air and on the ground at Port Elizabeth. But there's also a spray of good news as the match is expected to start within 15 minutes. ==================================================================================== Day One was ultimately dominated by South Africa as they put together a series of strong partnerships and had amassed 325 runs for the loss of 4 wickets at stumps. Amla, once again, led the batting line up and remains unbeaten on 106. Faf de Plessis, at the other end, ended the day in blazing mode and will start the day on 69. But both survived scares early in their innings and Amla was even dropped on 48. The Kiwi bowlers toiled hard but were also terribly unlucky. Day Two will be crucial: can South Africa run away with a massive total, securing the series? Or can the Kiwi bowlers make some early inroads and make a match of it?