Williamson leads fightback

 A battling Kane Williamson ensured New Zealand took the second-day honours despite a crippling calf injury to senior batsman Ross Taylor in the first cricket Test against South Africa on Thursday.

Williamson was not out 78 as he propped up the innings with nightwatchman Jeetan Patel on nine, taking New Zealand to 177 for three in reply to South Africa’s 308.

Taylor was on eight when he limped from the field during a torrid period in which he was also hit on the helmet by a fired-up Morne Morkel, who sent down a lively 10 overs for 26 in his comeback from a serious back injury.

New Zealand wrapped up the South African innings five overs after lunch, with the last six wickets falling for only 56 runs.

It was a rapid end to an innings where the wicket offered little for the bowlers and Dean Elgar, with his 140, had the tourists well placed at 252 for four.

By tea, the Kiwis were 59 for one and they added a further 118 for two wickets, plus the loss of the injured Taylor.

South Africa removed Tom Latham early, caught behind off Vern Philander for 10, and New Zealand were 15 for one.

But Williamson and Jeet Raval sparked the innings with a 102-run stand, a record second-wicket partnership for the Kiwis against South Africa.

score board

South Africa (I innings, O/n: 229/4):
Cook lbw Boult    3
Elgar c Watling by Wagner    140
Amla b Wagner    1
Duminy c Taylor b Wagner    1
du Plessis c Boult b Neesham    52
Bavuma c Watling b Boult    64
de Kock c Wagner b Patel    10
Philander b Boult    21
Maharaj c Neesham b Boult    5
Rabada b Patel    4
Morkel (not out)    0
Extras: (B-4, LB-1, W-2)    7
Total: (all out in 122.4 overs)    308
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-20, 3-22, 4-148, 5-252, 6-265, 7-279, 8-298, 9-308.
Bowling: Boult 32.4-12-64-4, Wagner 31-8-88-3, Patel 33-12-85-2, Santner 18-5-32-0, Neesham 8-2-34-1
New Zealand (I Innings):
Latham c de Kock b Philander    10
Raval c Elgar b Maharaj    52
Williamson (batting)    78
Taylor (rtd hurt)    8
Nicholls c Amla b Maharaj    12
Patel (batting)    9
Extras: (LB-6, NB-2)    8
Total: (for 3 wickets in 55 overs) 177
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-117, 3-165
Bowling: Rabada 14-3-46-0, Philander 14-4-37-1, Morkel 10-3-26-0, Maharaj 16-3-57-2, Duminy 1-0-5-0.