Image Credit- AP
In the first Test at Mount Maunganui, Kyle Jamieson’s
four-wicket haul and Mitchell Santner’s three-for enabled New Zealand to score
their second-highest run total of 281 against South Africa. Without David
Bedingham’s brilliant counterattack of 87 off 96 balls, where he masterfully
handled the short ball, the losing margin would have been much greater.
Following the lunch and tea breaks, Jamieson scored
twice in a row, destroying significant stands as South Africa, needing to score
529 runs to win, folded for 247 in 80 overs. Although strong partnerships were
formed, South Africa lost wickets in bunches far too frequently to win.
Earlier, New Zealand set an unlikely target for South
Africa when they declared their second innings overnight at 179 for 4. Under
cloudy conditions, their bowlers Tim Southee and Matt Henry quickly found help
and left South Africa at 5 for 2 in the fourth over. In the opening over,
Southee caused Edward Moore some trouble by curving the ball both ways.
However, in Henry’s second delivery, Neil Brand appeared to be taken off guard,
as Tom Blundell made an incredible catch to his left. But the captain of South
Africa was saved for review.
But Southee’s inbound beauty broke Brand’s resistance,
ending his stint at the crease. A
collapse looked likely with the ball hooping around and the batters uncertain.
However, van Tonder and Hamza hung around.
After appearing strong in the first innings, Hamza
took the first four wickets in the 11th over, a powerful blow through covers
off Jamieson, and soon after that, he cut Southee square. Pushing past mid-on,
Van Tonder, on a pair on debut, scored his first Test runs. Though he made
several passes and misses and an edge went short of second slip, he persevered
despite his nervous moments. Without incident, the two proceeded to lunch after
quickly bringing up South Africa’s first-ever 50-run stand in the Test.
From the 35th to the 46th over, South Africa could
only muster 16 runs and one boundary in 11 overs. Opportunities were made, but
not many truly came to pass. Bedingham made the decision to let go when Matt
Henry arrived with a short-ball strategy. Bedingham displayed his T20 skills in
this Test, and in style, having chosen to withdraw his name from the SA20 draft
in an attempt to play in this series. In an over that ended for 19, Henry fell
short of him four times in four balls, but each time he made room and stepped
towards the leg side, he was carted for a boundary.
After hitting 48 runs in just 22 balls against
Bedingham, New Zealand lost the match, but the stroke ultimately proved to be
his undoing after tea. Reluctant to alter his strategy, he pursued Jamieson’s
first over following the interval; however, his misplaced pull was caught at
deep midwicket, causing Bedingham to fall 13 short of a potential maiden Test
century.
Duanne Olivier then edged Santner to first slip,
before the left-arm spinner ended Dane Paterson’s enterprising innings on 15 to
close out the game for the hosts and helped them take a 1-0 lead.