Late strikes lift New Zealand spirits

New Zealand snapped up the big wicket of the in-form Dean Elgar late on the fourth day to keep the faint prospect of a result alive in the first Test against South Africa in Dunedin on Saturday (March 11).

At stumps, New Zealand kept South Africa to 224 for 6, a lead of 191, but heavy rain forecast on the final day could take the result out of the teams' hands.

Elgar shone on the day despite the gloom of Dunedin, looking comfortable at the crease and continuing his good form after a 140 in the first innings.

But on 89, when he tried to up the tempo in the last session, Elgar skied a Jeetan Patel delivery which was taken by Kane Williamson running to his right from mid-off.

At the end of a chilly day, in which play was disrupted twice by rain and gloom, Faf du Plessis was on 56 and Vernon Philander on one when bad light halted play 20 minutes early. Progress, for either side, was slow, producing only 186 runs and five wickets — three in the final session — at University Oval.

New Zealand did not help its cause by offering the batsmen a few too many reprieves, and their problems were compounded by the light and an injury to Trent Boult.

The umpires initially considered it too dark for the quick bowlers when the new ball was taken in the final session, and New Zealand had no choice but to operate with Jeetan and Mitchell Santner, the spinners. When the skies brightened up, Boult was receiving treatment for an upper left leg strain and Neil Wagner was the only fast bowler available.

Boult, who grabbed the wicket of Stephen Cook in the first over of the South African second innings, delivered 11 overs without anything to show for it on Saturday before leaving the field to join Ross Taylor on the injured list.

Wagner, however, stuck to his task and picked up the wickets of Hashim Amla, caught at midwicket for 24, and JP Duminy, lbw for 39.

Duminy had a charmed stay in the middle. He was dropped by Tom Latham on six, and on 20 an appeal for lbw off Jeetan wasn't upheld. New Zealand did not review the umpire's decision, but replays indicated it would have hit the stumps.

Elgar also was given a let-off when he brought up his half century with a cracking drive that burst through the hands of Colin de Grandhomme, the substitute fielder, at short cover.

Mitchell Santner then bowled Temba Bavuma for six and Jeetan followed it up with the wicket of Quinton de Kock (four), claiming the South African wicketkeeper for the fourth consecutive innings on this tour.

Jeetan finished with figures of 2 for 72 while Wagner took 2 for 57.