South Africa's crushing nine-wicket victory over New Zealand to win the
second test inside three days on Saturday was achieved by three
20-minute periods of superb pace bowling and their tail contributing a
valuable 165 runs when they were in deep trouble.
Graeme Smith completed the victory when he drove part-time spinner Rob
Nicol through the covers to take his side to 103 for one, two more runs
than they needed, shortly before tea on the third day at Seddon Park in
Hamilton.
Skipper Smith, who finished on 55 not out, and Hashim Amla (46) had
needed less than 90 minutes to score the 101 runs that gave their side a
1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The victory, however, had been set up through the exploits of their fast
bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, when they captured five New
Zealand wickets for no runs late on day one to trigger a collapse from a
comfortable 133 for two to 133-7.
Philander and Steyn also provided the spark needed in New Zealand's
second innings when they reduced Ross Taylor's side to 7-3 just after
tea on the second day, while the former ran trhough the lower middle
order either side of lunch on Saturday.
Philander finished with combined figures of 10-114, his second 10-wicket
haul in just his sixth test to be named man of the match.
"I thought Philander and Steyn bowled well in both innings and they put
pressure on the batsmen and pressure told at the end of the day," Taylor
said in a televised interview.
"It was a pretty flat wicket but they put the ball in the right areas and put us under pressure."
VALUABLE LEAD
Despite being comprehensivbely outplayed in the match, which lost more
than two hours of play due to rain on the first day, New Zealand had an
opportunity to impose themselves on the South Africans' first inning
after Mark Gillespie had ripped the heart out of their order.
Gillespie took 4-24 from seven overs as the Proteas collapsed to 88-6,
before AB de Villiers (83) rallied the tail and the final four wickets
added 165 runs that gave the visitors a valauable 68-run first innings
lead.
"At 88-6, things were a bit squeaky in our changing room but it is the
sign of a good test team that we were able to get ourselves out of
trouble and then able to dominate the game," Smith said.
"Crucial knock," Smith added of de Villier's innings. "He marshalled the
innings very well when we were under pressure and each of our tail was
grafting very hard and it's a big part of the team when they
contribute."
Taylor also said his side's inability to finish off the South African
tail had been crucial in the first innings and they needed to make the
most of such opportunites as they headed to Wellington for the third and
final test next week.
"With the ball, I thought we were okay. We had them at six for 90-odd
but we weren't able to put the ball in (those good) areas for long
enough to put them under pressure.
"(But) we're not out of the series, we have to pick ourselves up and can still draw the series come Wellington."
