NZ vs SA | 2nd Test | Day 2: Proteas pacers set stage up for first victory in 5 years

It’s only day two of the 2nd Test match at Wellington and South Africa are already within range of an unlikely win against the Kiwis. Pacers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen’s combined effort on a gloomy day at Wellington have led to the hosts losing five wickets for 157 runs trailing South Africa’s first innings total by 207 runs.

The visitors might seem to be in a great position right now, but it was not the case in the first session of the day as Matt Henry and Neil Wagner put in all their experience to skittle the opposition for 384 runs after they were 200/3 yesterday. Overcast conditions offered seam movement throughout the day and New Zealand’s discipline with the ball did the rest.

Five wickets fell between 98 to 120 with players like Kyle Verreynne, Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder leaving the crease sooner than expected. At a point it looked like SA could definitely go well beyond 400, but after the collapse it was just a matter of time before they got skittled out. Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj however had other plans and put on a 62 run partnership to rescue the innings for the visitors. Jansen stayed not out at 37 off 51 while Maharaj added 36 off 50.

Coming into bowl, South Africa utilised the half an hour left before tea and removed both openers within the first five overs. Marco Jansen joined the party to undo the next in order Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls. The credit for Conway’s wicket though goes to Rabada who created a considerable amount of pressure on the left hander making his life awfully uncomfortable in the middle.

With four wickets down, NZ were staring at a collapse but a counter attacking innings from Colin de Grandhomme stopped it from happening. He picked on Mulder and Lutho Simpala and rode his luck through 54* off 61 balls. Alongside him, he had the support of Daryl Mitchell who remained not out at 29.

The third day is going to be crucial for the visitors who might not get as much help from the deck as they got today. With no rainfall predicted on Day 3, it could play well into the hands of the home side who would be desperate to look for an escape and maintain their five year supremacy over the Rainbow Nation at their own home conditions. De Grandhomme will look to continue from where he left off while South Africa pacers will like to talk amongst themselves and bowl tighter lines next day. NZ are still 207 runs behind, but another blitzkrieg from Mitchell or Grandhomme could easily take the game away from them.