Philander terrorises Black Caps
Vernon Philander kept up his outstanding start to Test cricket as his sixth five-wicket haul ensured South Africa continued to dominate New Zealand in Wellington.
Starting the day 65 without loss in reply to the Proteas’ 474 for nine declared, the Black Caps looked to be in a promising position at 219 for three thanks to Martin Guptill’s 59.
But a dramatic collapse saw Philander return figures of 6-81 from 22 overs to help dismiss New Zealand for 275.
To make matters worse for the hosts, they are likely to be without influential captain Ross Taylor for the rest of the match after he was struck by a Morne Morkel bouncer and forced to retire hurt on 18. X-rays later showed he had fractured a bone in his left forearm.
Graeme Smith, unbeaten on 34, and Alviro Petersen, 38 not out, rubbed salt into the wound by reaching 75 without loss at the close, a lead of 274.
New Zealand could only add 21 this morning before Philander got to work, having Daniel Flynn caught behind by Mark Boucher for 45.
Guptill, dropped twice by JP Duminy off Dale Steyn in the gully, and Brendon McCullum looked comfortable at the crease, adding 50 for the third wicket, until Steyn and Philander removed the pair in quick succession to reduce the Black Caps to 145 for three.
Seamer Vernon Philander celebrates the key dismissal of New Zealand opener Martin Guptill for 59 en route to figures of 6-81
McCullum, who made 31, provided Boucher with his second catch, and Guptill’s 156-ball stay ended when he was trapped in front.
New Zealand were shaken by the blow to Taylor, but Kane Williamson and Dean Brownlie looked to get their side back on track with a fluent 59-run partnership.
However, Brownlie pulled Philander to Steyn at fine-leg to depart for 29, sparking a frantic 15-over spell that saw New Zealand lose six wickets for just 56 runs and give South Africa hopes of sealing a 2-0 series victory.
Steyn ended Williamson’s 92-ball 39, caught behind by Boucher, before New Zealand lost a trio of batsmen on 263.
Philander had Daniel Vettori caught in the gully and saw Doug Bracewell play onto his own stumps in the space of three balls to complete his five-for.
And substitute Imran Tahir provided his replacement Marchant de Lange with his only wicket, holding on to a Kruger van Wyk mis-timed cut at deep point.
Despite Mark Gillespie edging his side past the follow-on mark, he soon went by cutting Philander to AB de Villiers at point.
Smith and Petersen had 15 overs to extend South Africa’s lead, and that they did in emphatic fashion.
The latter smashed two fours off Chris Martin's opening over and, after milking numerous twos, Smith went on the offensive, hitting Gillespie into the crowd to bring up the fifty partnership.
