South Africa loses two after Nicholls scripts recovery for New Zealand

A maiden Test century by Henry Nicholls hauled New Zealand out of a hole and in contention against South Africa on the first day of the second Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington on Thursday (March 16).

From reeling at 21 for 3 early on in the script, New Zealand got to 268 before being bowled out in the final session of the day with Nicholls providing the innings of substance with 118. His dismissal triggered a brief collapse in which three wickets fell for five runs but Tim Southee and Jeetan Patel then threw their bats around for a run-a-ball 44-run stand to lift New Zealand further.

Southee and Colin de Grandhomme built on Nicholls’s effort by sending back Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar respectively by the sixth over of South Africa’s reply before Kagiso Rabada, the nightwatchman, and Hashim Amla took it to close of play at 24 for 2.

Nicholls, who went into the Test with his position under scrutiny, answered his critics with an innings full of beautiful drives and stunning cuts against the fast men and some sure footwork against spin.

In one over from Rabada, Nicholls hit three fours, the second taking him past his previous best of 98 and to his century, and the next took his excellent partnership with BJ Watling to 103.

Earlier, when South Africa won the toss, it put New Zealand in to bat in pace-friendly conditions. Morne Morkel dismissed Tom Latham for eight to start with, and Rabada sent back Kane Williamson and Neil Broom, the debutant, quickly thereafter to bring Nicholls to the middle.

Keshav Maharaj removed Jeet Raval (36) and Jimmy Neesham (15) either side of the lunch break before Watling joined Nicholls to add 116 before JP Duminy bowled Nicholls. Duminy added the wickets of de Grandhomme for four and Watling for 34 in the space of 11 balls and finished the innings when he had Neil Wagner lbw for figures of 4 for 47.

Morkel ended Southee's brief cameo of 27 off 30 deliveries while Patel was left not out 17.