Proteas fall in crushing defeat to Black Caps

The Proteas succumbed to a huge innings and 276-run defeat before lunch on day three of the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday, after being bowled out for 111 in their second innings.

Having been dominated over the first two days of play and going into the third on 34/3, still needing another 353 runs to make the hosts bat again, the visitors were expected to fold, which they did during the morning session.

Some stubborn resistance from the lower order meant the Black Caps had to take the extra half-an-hour offered to them at the lunch break to end the match, taking the full 30 minutes to remove the final two batters to seal the massive win.

The day began with the Proteas unable to add to their overnight score before Rassie van der Dussen (9) was bowled through the gate with the second ball of the day by Matt Henry, as New Zealand got off to the perfect start.

Zubayr Hamza (6) barely troubled the scorers before he was next to fall, caught at first slip by Daryl Mitchell of the bowling of first change Kyle Jamieson, unable to adjust to the bounce of the ball, as the Proteas slipped to 46/5.

This brought Kyle Verreynne (30) to the crease to join Temba Bavuma (41) and they managed to show some fight as they shared in a 41-run stand for the sixth wicket.

The sad state of affairs for the visitors was laid bare in that this was the biggest partnership of the match for them across both innings, and after both players fell in quick succession the match headed towards its inevitable conclusion.

Bavuma was trapped LBW by Neil Wagner and Verreynne was caught in the slips by Colin de Grandhomme off the bowling of Tim Southee in successive overs as the Proteas slipped to 91/7.

Kagiso Rabada then tamely chipped Southee to Jamieson at mid-on to fall for an eight-ball duck, leaving the Proteas on 97/8 and facing the ignominy of being bowled out for under 100 in both of their innings.

However Marco Jansen (10) and Glenton Stuurman (11) stubbornly resisted, with Stuurman getting them over the hundred run mark by slashing Wagner over the slip cordon for a boundary.

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New Zealand was then forced to take the extra half an hour, with Wagner and Southee taking the final two wickets to end the match.

Southee with 5/35 was the pick of the home bowlers, while Wagner, 2/19, and Henry, 2/32, backed him up well.

Earlier in the match the Proteas were bowled all out for 95 in their first innings, with Hamza (25) and Verreynne (18) the only batsmen to put up any resistance, while Henry with 7/23 was the star bowler for the hosts.

New Zealand then amassed a massive 482 all out in their only innings, with Henry Nicholls (105), Tom Blundell (96), Henry (58 not out) and Wagner (49) putting in major contributions.

However the Proteas’ abject fielding was a massive reason the Black Caps managed to reach such a high score, dropping seven catches over the innings including Nicholls on five and 23, Henry on 15 and Wagner on one, costing the visitors massively.