Dane Piedt five-wicket haul helps Proteas to a lead

Source: The South African
Author: James Richardson

South Africa's Dane Piedt (L) takes the wicket of New Zealand's Neil Wagner during day two of the second cricket Test match between New Zealand and South Africa Seddon Park in Hamilton on February 14, 2024. Image: Fiona Goodall / AFP

Dane Piedt took five wickets as the Proteas bowled New Zealand out for 211 to earn a 31-run first innings lead on day two of the second and final Test of the series.

The Proteas need to win this Test to avoid suffering their first ever series loss to New Zealand in the format.

ALSO READ: Kwena Maphaka named in U19 Cricket World Cup Team of the Tournament

After resuming on 220 for six, the Proteas could only add 22 runs to their overnight score for the loss of their remaining four wickets.

Dane Paterson struck early to remove Devon Conway in the first over of the Black Caps innings but Tom Latham and Kane Williamson steadied the ship.

ALSO READ: Coach says Proteas in New Zealand are like Burnley going to Anfield

New Zealand might rue missing out on starts as Latham made a poor choice in playing back to a full and spinning ball from Piedt which castled him to start a procession of softish dismissals.

Williamson was worked out by Piedt who made the most of the defensive mindset of the Kiwi kingpin and had him caught close in for 43.

ALSO READ: The NBA's highest-earning stars of the 2023-2024 season

Despite those wickets, New Zealand made steady progress on the runs from and another stand between Rachin Ravindra and Will Young took them to within 100 runs of the Proteas total.

ALSO READ: PSL transfer rumours

Ravindra and Tom Blundell would both chop onto their own stumps one trying to be positive but ultimately playing an unnecessary shot and the latter getting himself caught in between and poking at one just outside the line of his stumps.

Paterson and Piedt combined to build pressure on the New Zealand lower order which put up a fight but couldn't erase the Proteas first innings advantage entirely.

Piedt delivered career-best figures in this innings, taking his first Test five-fer and giving this side hope of saving this series and one of the Proteasd proudest records.

The Proteas will begin their innings on day three, 31 runs in the black but still the underdogs in this clash.

Scoreboard after day two of the second Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Hamilton on Wednesday:

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Fortuin), 2-40 (Brand), 3-63 (van Tonder), 4-99 (Hamza), 5-101 (Petersen), 6-150 (Bedingham), 7-227 (von Berg), 8-234 (Piedt), 9-242 (de Swardt), 10-242 (Paterson)

Bowling: Southee 25-8-63-1, Henry 17-5-44-1 (w1), O'Rourke 18.2-4-59-4 (w1), Wagner 16-6-32-1 (w1), Ravindra 21-8-33-3

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Conway), 2-75 (Latham), 3-86 (Williamson), 4-145 (Ravdindra), 5-157 (Blundell), 6-162 (Phillips), 7-163 (Young), 8-170 (Southee), 9-183 (Henry), 10-211 (Wagner)

Bowling: Paterson 17-6-39-3, Moreki 13-4-32-1 (w1), Piedt 32.3-5-89-5, von Berg 13-3-40-0, de Swardt 2-0-5-0