Spinner Piedt leads South Africa fightback in second Test

 

South African spinner Dane Piedt celebrated his return to international cricket with two key wickets on Wednesday as the Proteas restricted New Zealand to 121-3 in the second Test.

Offspinner Piedt bowled opener Tom Latham for 40 with a superb delivery before removing star batter Kane Williamson for 43 to propel the tourists back into the contest at tea on day two in Hamilton.

First-Test double centurion Rachin Ravindra was at the crease on 20 and Will Young on 16 in an evenly-balanced affair at Seddon Park.

The Proteas started the day by losing four quick wickets to be dismissed for 242, a setback in their bid to square the two-match series after losing the opener by 281 runs in Mount Maunganui.

New Zealand must win or draw to notch their first-ever series win over South Africa, but they have a fight on their hands.

The hosts still trail their understrength opponents by 121 runs on a slow Seddon Park pitch that is providing assistance to the spinners.

Piedt took advantage with a tight spell to have figures of 2-38 in what is his first Test in more than four years.

The 33-year-old off-spinner, who didn’t play at Mount Maunganui, deceived Latham with his flight to remove the opener and end a 74-run stand for the second wicket.

Williamson, who scored a century in each innings of the first Test, was undone by some extra bounce as he offered a bat-pad catch in close to Raynard van Tonder.

Earlier, New Zealand went to lunch at 27-1 after Devon Conway’s lean run of form continued, departing for a duck after edging the fourth ball of the opening over bowled by Dane Paterson.

South Africa started the day at 220-6 but pace bowler Will O’Rourke tore through the tail to finish with figures of 4-59 on Test debut.

The last four wickets fell in just 8.2 overs, with tall left-armer O’Rourke taking three of them, including the removal of both overnight batsmen.

He firstly bowled fellow-debutant Shaun von Berg for 39 to end a gritty 77-run stand for the seventh wicket and later produced a similar dismissal of Ruan de Swardt for 64.

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AFP

(NAMPA / AFP)