New Zealand ended their long wait for their maiden Test series win over South Africa as Kane Williamson inspired the hosts to a 7-wicket win in the 2nd Test in Hamilton on Friday. Kane Williamson hit an unbeaten 133 as New Zealand successfully chased down 267, the highest total chased in Test cricket history at Seddon Park.
New Zealand and South Africa met each other in bilateral Test series 17 times in the past with the Proteas winning 13 of them. However, Kane Williamson’s run-scoring fest made sure New Zealand hammered a weakened South African side 2-0. A twin hundred from the former captain made sure New Zealand won the first Test by 281 runs. When it looked like another walk in the park for New Zealand, a spirited South African side, riding on David Bedingham’s maiden Test hundred, gave the home side a scary by taking the first innings lead. | NZ vs SA, 2nd Test Day 4 Scorecard |
However, Kane Williamson ground it out on a tough batting pitch on Day 4, bringing up his 32nd Test hundred and stitching a 152-run match-winning stand with Will Young in the final innings.
With the 2-0 series win which earned them the first-ever Tangiwai Shield, New Zealand also extended their lead in the World Test Championship points table.
WILLIAMSON LAUDS PROTEAS FIGHT
“Coming into today on a wearing surface we knew we were going to have to string partnerships together. Credit to South Africa. Certainly, for the first couple of days they outplayed us I thought,” Kane Williamson, who was named the Player of the Series, said.
“We had to fight hard to get out of that position and change momentum and with the partnerships and seeing off the new ball were able to give ourselves the chance,” he added after finishing the series with scores of 118, 109, 43, and 133 not out.
The disappointment on South Africa’s camp was evident as the tourists fluffed a chance to bat New Zealand out of the contest in the second innings. Barring David Bedingham, none of the other batters converted their starts into big knocks as they were bundled out for 235.
The South African team is considerably under-strength as most of its leading players remained at home to play in a domestic Twenty20 league. Six Proteas players including captain Neil Brand made their debuts in the first test and the second test lineup had only 51 tests in total compared to New Zealand’s 436.
