(Cricket News) At completely different stages of their careers, and with very different styles, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra struck centuries that made South Africa pay for their lack of experience and pace, as well as the missed opportunities for both batters.
By the end of the first day, they had amassed 219 runs for the unbroken third wicket, demoralizing a spirited South Africa line-up that had reduced the hosts to a tricky 39 for 2 in the first session. Williamson was the more patient and circumspect of the two, after a scratchy start, while Ravindra hit a six off the eleventh ball to begin his best-ever Test score.
After Tshepo Moreki, who was playing in his first Test match, trapped Devon Conway leg before wicket for one run in the game’s second over, Moreki beat Williamson three times in 15 balls for just five runs in his accurate opening spell of 5-1-10-1.
Dane Paterson also gave the batters a run for twenty when he drew Tom Latham’s outside edge. The nerves continued when Ravindra tapped his fifth ball towards cover-point for a quick single, but the throw was wayward. If Williamson had been out of the game, the hosts would have been
44 for three at that point.With a much more assured beginning, Ravindra welcomed Moreki back for a second spell of cricket, and three balls later, he drew his edge, but it was well short of second slip. Ravindra then had more luck off Moreki on 23, as his inside edge narrowly missed the stumps, which made him a little more wary.
The pair patiently batted through a wicketless second session of 27 overs for just 60 runs, with plenty of leaves and blocks due to the tight bowling from the four South African quicks. South Africa was fielding an all-pace bowling attack and six debutants in Mount Maunganui, including their captain Neil Brand.
Williamson opened with imperious boundaries off Moreki in consecutive overs, but the going got better for the bat after the initial swing subsided and the ball got older. Ravindra broke the shackles against Paterson with a cover drive and a mighty pull for a one-bounce four, while Williamson played the ball very late and used soft hands to ensure his edges were not carrying, while Ravindra drove, scythed, and pulled the loose deliveries with hard hands and a lot more punch.
Williamson got a life on 45 minutes before tea when he uncharacteristically slogged against Ruan de Swardt’s medium pace, but the leading edge was shelled by Edward Moore while running back from extra cover.
When Ravindra closed in on his partner, Duanne Oliver’s pace began to fall below 125 kph. South Africa’s captain Neil Brand came on to bowl left-arm spin but to no avail. Williamson reached his fifty in the next over with a boundary, while Ravindra reached his own in the over following the break. Both scored far more freely with boundaries to tick at above four runs an over in the half hour after the tea break.
Even after both batsmen hit the second new ball for a straight four, South Africa’s fortunes remained unchanged. Ravindra kept getting boundaries off Moreki, whether he pitched it full or short, and surpassed Williamson to end the day undefeated at 118, ten better than the former captain.
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