New Zealand continued their dominance over South Africa on Day 3 of the first Test in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday, February 6.
South Africa came into the series as the underdogs, as they were missing almost all of their first-choice players due to their SA20 commitments. So far, in the first three days of the first Test, the Kiwis have been head and shoulders above their inexperienced opponent and dominated proceedings with consummate ease.
The tourists started the day at 80/4, 431 runs adrift of New Zealand’s first-innings score. Matt Henry picked up the wickets of David Bedingham and Ruan de Swardt in the same over and got the Kiwis off to an excellent start on Day 3. Keegan Petersen, who top-scored for South Africa with a fighting 132-ball 45, formed gritty partnerships of 37 and 32 with Bjorn Fortuin and Duanne Olivier respectively, to keep the Blackcaps on the field for a bit longer than they would have expected.
New Zealand’s first innings eventually ended when they were bundled out for 162. Not only the pacers but also the spinners caused a lot of problems for the South African batters. Mitchell Santner and Henry bagged three wickets each, while Kyle Jamieson and Rachin Ravindra chipped in with two apiece.
The hosts had a gigantic lead of 349 runs. However, they didn’t enforce the follow-on and decided to pile on South Africa’s misery. Tom Latham fell cheaply in New Zealand’s second innings but Kane Williamson started from where he left in the first innings and scored a fluent century. He became only the fifth New Zealander to score centuries in both innings of a Test match. His knock of 109 off 132 balls was studded with 12 fours and one six.
After Devon Conway was dismissed for 29, Ravindra came out to bat but failed to replicate his heroics from the first innings. He was sent packing by de Swardt for just 12. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell took their team through to Stumps on Day 3. New Zealand are 179/4 in the second innings and have a lead of 528 runs. They could declare overnight or continue batting on Day 4 for a brief while before declaring.
Here’s how ‘X’ users reacted to the action on Day 3:
Most Test hundreds for New Zealand against South Africa:
5 – KANE WILLIAMSON
2 – John Reid
2 – Jacob Oram
2 – Henry Nicholls#NZvSA pic.twitter.com/9g55fEe0q8
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) February 6, 2024
Take a bow Kane Williamson in the first Test: 🔥
1st Innings: 118 off 289
2nd Innings: 109 off 132
#NZvSA pic.twitter.com/AuwzxvIw7z
— T A L H A 💛 (@Babl00__) February 6, 2024
Kane Williamson in the first #NZvSA
1st Innings: 118 off 289 🔥
2nd Innings: 109 off 132
May be he will break tha great Sachin Tendulkar test century records pic.twitter.com/RO3GF4iCxO
— MD perwez Ansari (@Perwez6206) February 6, 2024
Most Test Centuries after 170 innings
31 – Kane Williamson*
31 – Sachin Tendulkar
31 – Steve Smith#NZvSA #NZvsSA pic.twitter.com/eD4drP870X
— Munna Bhaiya (@Munnabhaiya1i) February 6, 2024
31ST TEST CENTURY BY KANE WILLIAMSON👏
Kane mama is great👍#NZvsSA #SAvsNZ #NZvSA #kaneWilliamson pic.twitter.com/7s7iW1VogR
— RBK Trending (@TrendingRbk) February 6, 2024
NZ 179/4 Stumps on Day 3 in Second innings. Brilliant knock Kane Williamson 109(132).
NZ lead by 528 Runs.#NZvSA
— JaayShaan (VaidhyaJayaShankar) (@JaayShaan) February 6, 2024
Kane Williamson now has 31 test centuries and averages 55 in Test Cricket. He surpassed Chanderpaul who had 30 Test centuries and is now 13th in the list of batsmen with most no of Test centuries. He is ahead of Steve Smith & Virat Kohli in that list#NZvsSA #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/vvQH2s94Dn
— Pictures that Speak 1000 Words (@PicsThatScream) February 6, 2024
Just No.1 Test Batter’s things!#NZvSA pic.twitter.com/8r8UJO3tNl
— Muhammad Aqib (@iamaqib1068) February 6, 2024
Kane Williamson has been on fire in Test cricket, smashing 6 centuries in his last 10 innings! 🏏🔥 #NZvsSA #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/M7bt5CK9q8
— Amrat (@im_amrat) February 6, 2024
KANE WILLIAMSON HAS 6 HUNDREDS IN THE LAST 6 TESTS. 🤯🔥#NZvSA pic.twitter.com/Csjjsml8TO
— Talحa…🖤 (@M_Abbasi12) February 6, 2024
Back 2 Back 💯 for Kane Williamson
No.1 Test Batsman for a reason 👏#NZvSA #INDvENG #KaneWilliamson pic.twitter.com/t15IHwyQ15
— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) February 6, 2024
💯 FOR #KaneWilliamson NOW 6 HUNDREDS IN LAST 6 TEST MATCHES INDEED A #GOAT#NZvSA #GRAMMYs #TaylorSwift pic.twitter.com/Dkq7BM85Qi
— Fourth Umpire (@UmpireFourth) February 6, 2024
#KaneWilliamson vs South Africa in 1st Test
118(289)
109(132)#NZvSA #WTC25 #Legend pic.twitter.com/4xqyqyK1PR
— Akhil Gupta 🏏 (@Guptastats92) February 6, 2024
Kane Williamson, born to bat. Test century number 31.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) February 6, 2024
IRE vs ZIM Only Test: Clive Madande concedes most byes in an innings, breaks unwanted 147-year-old record on Test debut
ECB to give touring fee to Zimbabwe for one-off Test in 2025
Really happy that Riyan Parag is here with the team: Suryakumar Yadav
‘I have learned a lot of things from MS Dhoni’ – Maheesh Theekshana on how legendary figure helped him to cope with sweep shots
