New Zealand’s resistance on the final day of the Christchurch Test came undone by Marco Jansen’s barrage of short-pitched deliveries as the hosts were defeated by 198 runs at the Hagley Oval, on Monday (March 1). With this win, South Africa not only levelled the series 1-1 but also maintained their run of never losing a Test series to New Zealand.
South Africa had come into the fifth day with 336 runs required and only five wickets in hand. Most of the top-order had already crumbled on the penultimate day with Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj picking a brace each. The challenge to see off the final day was a stiff one but not entirely out of hand, especially after the first two hours of play, in which they lost only a solitary wicket and scored 87 runs in that period.
Devon Conway helped New Zealand expertly navigate the situation with his calculated play. After taking advantage of the scoring opportunities in the first hour against the pacers, the southpaw – who had resumed the day unbeaten on 60 – masterfully executed sweeps and reverse sweeps to put the spinner off his lengths while also helping New Zealand pick quick runs.
However, the 85-run alliance for the fifth wicket between Conway and Blundell came to an end, with only 15 overs left before the new ball was due. Conway was hit on his boots with a full length delivery by Lutho Sipamla. The decision to review the on-field umpire’s call didn’t help either as the ball was projected to crash into the legstump.
On a flat Day 5 pitch that didn’t have much assistance for the bowlers, Jansen’s consistent short-pitched bowling coupled with indecisiveness of the New Zealand batters paved the way for the hosts’ collapse, much of which took place soon after the Lunch break. Tom Blundell, who had patiently worked his way to a 109-ball 44, got a top edge to a half-hearted pull and was caught by Temba Bavuma.
Colin de Grandhomme’s more assured pull in Jansen’s next over didn’t reap any better reward as he played the ball straight to the fielder at leg gully. A similar fate awaited Kyle Jamieson, who had largely left the short deliveries or bunted them down. When he did decide to take on the left-arm pacer, he top-edged a pull and was caught by Kagiso Rabada who ran in from the deep.
Tim Southee, who was uncharacteristically watchful in the company of Jamieson, attempted to break free after his fall. He swung his bat around for a bit, even without much in return, before eventually top edging a pull off Rabada and getting caught. The last pair of Neil Wagner and Matt Henry stretched New Zealand’s innings but without threatening South Africa the inevitable victory. At worst, it was a brief rain break which had forced the umpires to take an early Tea that bothered Dean Elgar.
Play resumed after the 20-minute early session break and Maharaj trapped Henry legbefore for a 23-ball duck to end the contest in which the hosts were playing catch-up throughout. Maharaj, much like Rabada and Jansen, returned three wickets in the innings as New Zealand folded up for 227 in their second essay – losing six wickets on the day in less than four hours of play.
Brief Scores: South Africa 364 (Sarel Erwee 108, Aiden Markram 42; Neil Wagner 4-104, Matt Henry 3-90) & 354/9 decl. (Kyle Verreynne 136) beat New Zealand 293 (Colin de Grandhomme 120, Daryl Mitchell 60; Kagiso Rabada 5-60, Marco Jansen 4-98) and 227 (Devon Conway 92, Tom Blundell 44; Kagiso Rabada 3-46, Marco Jansen 3-63) by 198 runs.