NZ vs SA, 1st Test: Ravindra cracks maiden double ton, Proteas lose early wickets in reply

Mount Maunganui [New Zealand], February 5 (ANI): Rachin Ravindra’s maiden double century and six-wicket haul on debut by South Africa skipper Neil Brand were the highlights as the Proteas ended the day second of the first Test against New Zealand trailing by 431 runs at Mount Maunganui on Monday.

At the end of day one, SA was 80/4, with David Bedingham (29) and Keegan Petersen (2) unbeaten.

New Zealand started their day at 258/2, with Kane Williamson (112) and Rachin Ravindra (118) unbeaten at the crease.

Rachin and Kane started out things slow for Kiwis. But Ruan de Swardt struck early for Proteas, getting the prized wicket of Kane for 118 in 289 balls, with 16 fours. The star Kiwi batter was caught by Tshepo Moreki at mid-off. NZ was 271/3 after this 232-run partnership for the third wicket ended.

Daryl Mitchell was next up on the crease.

With a boundary by Rachin to Duanne Olivier in the mid-wicket region, the Kiwis reached their 300 runs in 102.2 overs.

A boundary soon brought Ravindra’s 150 in 270 balls. Mitchell-Ravindra also brought up their 50-run partnership in 97 balls.

At the end of the first session, Kiwis was 330/3, with Ravindra (169) and Mitchell (14) unbeaten.

New Zealand reached the 350-run mark in 117.2 overs.

Skipper Neil Brand removed Mitchell via caught and bowled dismissal for 34 in 75 balls, with three fours and a six. Kiwis was 374/4 and another century partnership was undone.

Wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell’s stay at the crease was shorter as he was dismissed by Swardt for just 11. NZ was 391/5.

Glenn Phillips joined Ravindra at the crease. With a single, Ravindra reached his maiden Test double ton in 340 balls, with 21 fours and a six.

NZ brought up their 400 runs in 130.3 overs.

Following this, Ravindra and Phillips got aggressive in their targeting of Olivier and Dane Paterson, smashing them for quite a few boundaries. With a huge six by Ravindra, the Kiwis reached the 450-run mark in 136 overs. The duo also managed to bring up their 50-run partnership.

Skipper Brand gave SA the breakthrough, removing Phillips for 39 in 42 balls, with two fours and two sixes. NZ was 473/6 and the sixth-wicket partnership of 82 runs was ended.

Brand soon also managed to clean up Ravindra’s stumps for 240 runs in 366 balls, with 26 fours and three sixes. NZ was 474/7.

Though Kiwis reached their 500-run mark in 143.1 overs thanks to a cameo by Matt Henry (27 in nine balls, with a four and three sixes), Brand ran through the rest of the batting to end NZ’s innings at 511 in 144 overs.

South Africa came out to bat and opener Edward Moore immediately exerted pressure with two boundaries in the first over. However, pacer Kyle Jamieson started SA’s downfall, getting skipper Neil Brand (4) and Raynard van Tonder (0) in the same over.

More was also dismissed by Matt Henry for 23, with four boundaries. SA was reduced to 30/3 in 15 overs.

South Africa struggled its way to 50-run mark in 17.6 overs.

The 44-run stand between Zubayr Hamza and David Bedingham was broken when spinner Mitchell Santner removed the former for 22. SA was 74/4.

SA ended their day without any further loss of wickets. (ANI)