The Proteas clawed their way back to another effort that saw their unbeaten series record against the Kiwis remain intact, after scoring a huge win in the second Test match by 198 runs. The South African bowling attack, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj brought about a spectacular collapse in the Kiwi batting line-up on the final day to level the series.
Earlier in the year, the Proteas came back from behind against India to take the series 2-1, also keeping their unbeaten record against the Indians, and recreated the same away from home as well. It was indeed a brilliant comeback from the South African side after losing the first Test by a massive margin of an innings and 276 runs, their second-biggest defeat ever.
Kiwi batsmen Tom Blundell and Devon Conway kicked off the day for the New Zealanders, in pursuit of a steep 426 and did so quite positively, as both batsmen cracked a few boundaries early on. South Africa’s short-ball strategy did not seem to work as Jansen and Rabada’s barrage was easily mitigated by the Kiwi duo.
However, the introduction of Wiaan Mulder into the attack plugged New Zealand’s supply of boundaries as he and Rabada tightened the screws on the Kiwi batsmen. It was rookie Lutho Sipamla who did get the eventual breakthrough, trapping Devon Conway in front. Colin de Grandhomme and Tom Blundell played out the overs until the lunch break, but it did not look like either batsman was going to make it big.
Post the lunch break, the Kiwis played some really rash shots, as Blundell was dismissed attempting a lazy pull off Marco Jansen. De Grandhomme was dismissed in an identical fashion despite having been dropped a few overs earlier off Maharaj. With New Zealand struggling at 188/7, South Africa could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The new ball saw Tim Southee’s lucky stay at the crease come to an end, following which Neil Wagner fell prey to a series of short pitched deliveries, when rain forced a short break, prompting an early Tea.
The post-Tea session was short, ending on the fifth ball, as Maharaj trapped Matt Henry in front of the stumps. The South Africans could hardly contain their joy as ball-tracking confirmed their victory, keeping their undefeated series record against the Kiwis alive.
