Erratic Black Caps at it again as South Africa strike back in second test

Thursday, 15 February 2024

Proteas roar back against Black Caps in Hamilton.

Are the Black Caps allergic to consistent test performances?

For the fifth – but most unexpected – time since winning the inaugural World Test Championship, New Zealand are experiencing a wild swing in form in a test series.

Predicted to match their comprehensive first-test victory over South Africa in the second match in Hamilton, the hosts are now under the gun after the tourists nabbed a shock first-innings lead by the end of day two.

After dismissing the Proteas for 242 in the first session on Wednesday, New Zealand made just 211 in reply, losing their last wicket on stumps.

It’s nothing new for the Black Caps to adopt the dual roles of Jekyll and Hyde in two-game series – particularly in New Zealand of late.

At the start of 2021, they suffered a stunning eight-wicket defeat by Bangladesh at Bay Oval, then recovered to win the second test by an innings and 117 runs.

Dane Piedt of South Africa celebrates the wicket of Kane Williamson of New Zealand with keeper Clyde Fortuin during day two of second test in Hamilton.

The following month, they hammered South Africa at Hagley Oval by an innings and 276 runs – only to miss out on a historic series win by bafflingly losing the second encounter by 198 runs at the same venue.

Last February, England thumped the hosts under lights at Bay Oval within four days (and nights) by 267 runs – only for NZ to win the second test by a nail-biting one run.

Soon after, the Black Caps were almost rocked by Sri Lanka in Christchurch, eking out a two-wicket win off the final ball. Less than a fortnight later, they’d won the second test by an innings and 58 runs.

The consistent absence of consistency then drifted overseas – in Bangladesh in December, the visitors lost the first test by 150 runs, only to square the series with a four-wicket triumph in the second test.

A turnaround against the Proteas in 2022 was disappointing but not without reason – the visitors contained such talents as Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj.

Yet against the current understrength tourists – for all their first-class experience, their lengthy series preparation, their admirable ability and uplifting camaraderie – such a reversal would be a low point in the country’s test history.

Fortunately for the Black Caps, they still have two more innings to rectify matters.

Kane Williamson, on the back of two centuries in the first test, top-scored for NZ with just 43 as US-based offspinner Dane Piedt and 34-year-old seamer Dane Paterson took eight wickets between them.

“It can be a tricky wicket to get yourself in on, and I think that was a reflection of the evening session,” Black Caps opener Tom Latham said after day two.

“Everyone’s got their own method in how they like to approach batting.”

But none of those applied on Wednesday produced a way to combat the visitors.

Matt Henry walks off after being run out in New Zealand’s first innings at Seddon Park.

Piedt, who labelled the Black Caps as ‘a proper cricket team’, said he didn’t foresee the pitch getting easier.

He played his last previous test of nine appearances versus India in 2019 and has been playing Major League Cricket before rejoining the national side.

“I was sitting out in the US and [coach] Shukri [Conrad] sent me a message to tell me: ‘Are you keen for New Zealand?’ I thought he was lying, to be brutally honest.

“He told me: ‘I’m being dead serious.’ I’ve got a different perspective on life, having a young family, and the opportunity to get this gives me a lot of pride.”

He had a quick and simple answer to the question of his best wicket on Wednesday.

“Kane Williamson. It’s as easy as that.

“Kane Williamson in my opinion is the best player in the world at the moment. It’ll mean nothing though if we don’t get over the line in the end.”