Proteas facing first Test defeat against New Zealand — after two days

The Proteas’ disastrous first Test against New Zealand continued on Friday as they reached the close of play on day two on 34/3, still needing another 365 runs just to make the hosts bat again, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Having been bowled out for just 95 in their first innings and then watched as the Black Caps piled on the runs scoring 482 all out in reply, the Proteas then needed to man up and survive the final 40 minutes on day two and give them a chance of making a game of it on day three.

However it was not to be as they almost surrendered immediately, falling to 4/3 before Temba Bavuma (14no) and Rassie van der Dussen (10no) showed a bit of fight to get their side to the close without losing another wicket.

All signs point to a huge innings defeat on day three, with the fired up Black Caps on target to go one-nil up in the series.

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Earlier in the day New Zealand resumed their first innings on 116/3 and made their way to 388/9 just after tea, before a disheartening 94 run final wicket stand between the unstoppable Henry (58no) and Tom Blundell (96) effectively ended any chance the Proteas had of fighting back in the match.

Henry Nicholls (105) and nightwatchman Neil Wagner (49) set the tone for the day immediately as they extended their fourth wicket stand to 80 runs, with Wagner being particularly brutal on Kagiso Rabada and Glenton Stuurman.

Rabada finally then had Wagner caught by Rassie van der Dussen on the deep square leg boundary with them on 191/4, before Nicholls and Daryn Mitchell (16) took them to lunch on 235/4.

After lunch two wickets before the new ball was available gave the Proteas hope as  Mitchell was caught sharply by Elgar at first slip to become Stuurman’s first Test wicket and Nicholls just after reaching his century was also caught in the slips by Markram off the bowling of Duanne Olivier with the score 273/6.

However the new ball brought no joy as Colin de Grandhomme hammered 45 off 42 balls and shared in a 76-run seventh wicket stand with Blundell, before part timer Markram came into the attack and picked up his first Test wicket as de Grandhomme found Marco Jansen at long on with them on 349/7.

Kyle Jamieson (15) then became Markram’s second wicket and Southee (4) was caught off Rabada after tea, with the Proteas ready to head back into bat, only for Henry to stride out and continue his dream Test with a brutal innings.

Henry picked up 7/23 in the Proteas first innings, scored his second ever Test half century and then accounted for Elgar in the second innings and can seemingly do no wrong in this match.