South Africa could not stand in front of New Zealand in the first test with a weak team. On the first day of the second Test, however, the visitors tested their patience by playing in a traditional manner. Hamilton added 220 runs for 6 wickets in the first innings!
However, the way the Kiwi pacers broke the top order and Rachin Ravindra broke the middle order, the Proteas were in a position to collapse on the first day. 150 runs fall in the sixth wicket! After that, the batsmen who came down to number 7 and 8 continued to fight together. That became the Proteas’ oxygen in the final session.
For that credit should be given to Sean von Berg who played the first Test in 37 years and Ruan du Suat who played only the second Test. They made a pair of 70 runs for the seventh wicket. Unbroken pair played 162 balls!
At the start, captain Neil Brand saw the green pitch and decided to bat. Only two spinners took the team. Clyde Fortun’s opening promotion didn’t work. He returned to Golden Duck. 25 runs came from another opener and captain Brandt’s bat. Reynard von Tonder (32), Zubair Hamza (20) and David Bedingham (39) tried to play but could not extend the innings.
After that, Ruan Du Swat and Von Berg fought in an unbroken partnership for the seventh wicket. Swat scored a half-century and is batting for 55 runs. Played 135 balls. Anointed Von Berg is batting for 34 runs.
Rachin Ravindra was the best bowler of the day. He took 3 wickets for 33 runs. Matt Henry, Williams O’Rourke and Neil Wagner took one each.
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