CRICKET:South Africa finalised an innings and 27-run hammering of New Zealand midway through the third day of the opening Test in Cape Town yesterday.
The Proteas’ fast-paced success, their fifth biggest Test win over New Zealand, was all but secured after they bowled the tourists out for just 45 on the opening morning.
The Black Caps were never likely to recover from slumping to their lowest ever total against South Africa, beating the 79 they managed at Johannesburg in 1954, and only Dean Brownlie’s maiden century yesterday stretched the contest beyond halfway of the scheduled five days.
Victory ensured South Africa, the top-ranked Test nation, will go an 11th series without defeat before the second and final match in Port Elizabeth begins on January 11th.
Seamer Vernon Philander was man of the match, after he inspired the opening-day demolition with five for seven.
Brownlie’s century
Brownlie temporarily gave New Zealand hope they could at least force South Africa to bat again after posting his first Test century in his eighth match. That had looked a forlorn hope on Thursday when South Africa declared their first innings on 347 for eight to take a mammoth 302-run lead.
But after withstanding a rampant Proteas attack to reach the close the night before on 69 Brownlie, who was born in Australia, continued his resistance yesterday morning to reach three figures for the first time. He did so without fear, clubbing Robin Petersen for a pulled six to go to 98 before dancing down the wicket to the same bowler in his next over to again clear the rope.
With overnight partner BJ Watling content to stonewall the duo looked set to bat out the morning session only for Brownlie to fall, in reckless style, to the new ball just before lunch. His dismissal undermined the work he had done beforehand as he slashed at Morne Morkel, picking out Peterson on the rope, after he had reached 109.
New Zealand’s tail then quickly followed after lunch as the Proteas completed the job.
After his first-innings heroics Philander waited until his 22nd over to grab his first second-innings scalp when Watling (42) edged to Smith at first slip.
Bracewell failed to score when he then edged to slips in the next over from Philander, who now has 28 wickets at 14.57 in four Tests against New Zealand, before Dale Steyn bowled both James Franklin and Jeetan Patel.
The match ended with something of a farce as Chris Martin was needlessly run out, following Steyn’s throw from the deep, for the 36th duck of his 71-Test career.
South Africa beat New Zealand by an innings and 27 runs
New Zealand Second Innings
M Guptill c Amla b Steyn0
B McCullum lbw b Peterson51
K Williamson c Petersen b Kallis15
D Brownlie c Peterson b M Morkel109
D Flynn c de Villiers b Kallis14
B Watling c Smith b Philander42
JFranklin b Steyn22
D Bracewell c Petersen b Philander0
J Patel b Steyn8
T Boult not out2
C Martin run out0
Extras b1 lb8 w312
Total (102.1 overs)275
Fall: 1-0 2-29 3-118 4-155 5-229 6-252 7-252 8-265 9-274
Bowling: Steyn 30 6 67 3; Philander 24 8 76 2;
M Morkel 21 6 50 1; Kallis 11.1 3 31 2;
Peterson 16 6 42 1.
Australia v Sri Lanka Hosts lead third Test
Australia blew the chance to take an iron grip on the third Test against Sri Lanka yesterday and instead scrabbled to a 48-run first innings lead after reaching 342 for six at the close of the second day yesterday.
Phil Hughes and David Warner got the hosts off at a canter on a glorious morning with half centuries in a partnership of 130 as Australia looked to build a big total as they bid to sweep the series 3-0.
Two run-outs, including one for Mike Hussey in his final Test, and a couple of soft dismissals, however, left Sri Lanka bowling at Matthew Wade, who had survived a good few scares to reach 47, and Peter Siddle (16) when stumps were drawn.
Australia captain Michael Clarke also made 50 but will remember the day more for having given the call for the risky single that saw Hussey dismissed for 28 by Dimuth Karunaratne's direct hit.
Sri Lanka, who made 294 in their first innings, showed considerably more fight than they had in the innings and 201 run defeat in Melbourne last week and they were only a couple of dropped catches from being back in the match.
