Cricket: Du Plessis century powers South Africa

Date

8/30/2016 2:40:08 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

Faf du Plessis (112 not out) scored his first century in 17 innings since December 2014 as South Africa gave New Zealand a mountain to climb in the decider.

Du Plessis was one of a quintet of batsmen to cross the fifty mark - only the second time all of South Africa's top five had done so.

Incidentally, the last time they achieved the feat was at the same ground, against India, in 2010.

With the hosts declaring on 481 for eight on Sunday, New Zealand's only consolation on day two of the second Test was that Neil Wagner (5-86) claimed his fourth five-wicket haul on his first appearance at his former home ground.

Wagner, who was born and schooled in Pretoria, has played against South Africa before but never at SuperSport Park. With family and friends in attendance, Wagner's relentless short-ball strategy accounted for half the South African line-up but not his former schoolmate du Plessis.

While Wagner reaped the most reward, he was not the only member of the attack to ask questions of the opposition.

New Zealand's pace pack applied collective and sustained pressure, but went largely luckless.

Trent Boult's blistering newball spell should have brought some reward, but he has yet to take a wicket in the match. He could have had one off the first ball of the morning, which nipped back into du Plessis and almost took out off-stump. Later in that over, Boult drew an inside-edge, but there was no short-leg in place.

In the next over, he rapped du Plessis on the pads and squared J P Duminy (88) up and, in the over after that, found an outside edge off Duminy's bat, but the chance fell short of slip. Soon, with du Plessis taking control and the seamers wearing, New Zealand's disciplines waned.

Mitchell Santner, who went unused all morning, was eventually brought on in the 128th over and provided some reprieve for the quicks. But the spinner offered no threat and as Stiaan van Zyl (35) also settled, Kane Williamson had to turn back to Wagner, who answered his call by dismissing van Zyl.

Later, du Plessis pulled Boult for two to bring up his century and celebrated like a man vindicated. He was dropped in the last Test series and brought back as stand-in captain for this one and was the only member of his team to score a hundred.

Du Plessis batted after that, long enough for Dale Steyn (13 not out) to hit Santner beyond the grandstand roof, and declared to leave New Zealand to bat out the last 22 overs of the day. Steyn and Vernon Philander made the most of the new ball to then reduce New Zealand to 38 for three.

Cricinfo

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