NEW DELHI: Late on the fourth day of the first Test on Wednesday, New Zealand defeated an inexperienced South Africa team by 281 runs, securing a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
The Black Caps declared their second innings at 179/4, setting the Proteas an intimidating 529 to win at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval.
Within the first twenty minutes, the home seamers easily removed openers Neil Brand and Edward Moore, but when Zubayr Hamza (36), along with Raynard van Tonder (31), shared a third-wicket stand of 63, the innings progressed slowly.
After lunch, Kyle Jamieson (4-58) came out swinging and quickly removed both, but David Bedingham later proved to be an even bigger obstacle.
In his third Test match, the 29-year-old right-hander finally replicated his first-class, prolific form at the highest level, smashing a brilliantly aggressive 87 to lead his team to 173-4.
Soon after the interval, Bedingham wasted a chance to score his first hundred runs by attacking a short ball and holing out at deep midwicket, giving Jamieson his wicket.
The second batsman to go for sixteen, Keegan Petersen, attempted to pull a short delivery from Jamieson to Rachin Ravindra at long leg.
Part-timer Glenn Phillips made the next breakthrough when Clyde Fortuin (11) struck a ball that bounced off the close fielder's knee and sailed into the air for an easy catch. Specialist spinner Mitch Santner was struggling to find success.
After South Africa passed the 200-mark, Santner (3-59) took action and dismissed the tourists for 247 by taking out Duanne Olivier (1), Tshepo Moreki (6), and Dane Paterson (15).
The second and final Test will be held in Hamilton from February 13, where New Zealand hope to win a series against South Africa for the first time in almost a century.
(With Reuters inputs)
