CENTURION, South Africa, 19 April 2006 — Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn bowled South Africa to within sight of victory on a weather-hit fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand at Centurion Park yesterday.
New Zealand were 98 for seven at the close, with their victory target of 249 seemingly a distant dream.
Instead New Zealand crashed to 34 for six at lunch, leaving Vettori to hope that the bad weather which wrecked the afternoon’s play would continue into the final day today.
Ntini took four for 41 and his new-ball partner Steyn three for 35 as New Zealand’s hopes crumbled on an unpredictable pitch under a heavily overcast sky.
Bad light and rain restricted the afternoon’s play to an hour, delaying the resumption after lunch and causing the umpires to take the players off five minutes before the re-scheduled tea break. Only nine balls were bowled after tea before bad light stopped play for the day.
Opening batsman Hamish Marshall and hard-hitting wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum staged a minor recovery, putting on 45 before McCullum was the only man to be dismissed during the shortened afternoon. McCullum made 33 off 38 balls, hitting sixes off both Ntini and Steyn, before he edged Steyn to first slip.
Marshall remained unbeaten on 24 after batting for 145 minutes and facing 77 balls. It was a courageous innings because he took a heavy blow in the ribs from Ntini and was then hit on the left glove by Ntini’s next ball.
Ntini started the collapse when he took two wickets in his second over.
New Zealand’s collapse was worse than in the first innings when they were 45 for five but recovered to make 327 and take a first innings lead. First innings century-maker Jacob Oram was among Ntini’s victims, bowled for two by a fast delivery which kept low and sent his off stump flying.
Ntini had Peter Fulton caught behind off the first ball of his second over. First innings tail-ender Kyle Mills was promoted to No. 3 but two balls later was caught by a diving Boeta Dippenaar at first slip.
