Marco Jansen has explained how he picked up the big wicket of Henry Nicholls on day two of the second Test in Christchurch.
The left-handed New Zealand batsman skied a cut to Sarel Erwee at deep point as Jansen picked up his second wicket, having earlier dismissed Devon Conway.
Kagiso Rabada then bowled Tom Blundell for six to leave the Black Caps in big trouble at 91-5, before a good partnership between Daryl Mitchell (29*) and Colin de Grandhomme (54*) took them to 157-5 at stumps.
They trail the Proteas, who made 364 in their first innings, by 207 runs.
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“We knew that he loves to cut and loves to play straight,” Jansen said when asked if the Proteas had planned Nicholls’ dismissal. “So, for the bowlers, the plan was to hit our areas and if we missed the mark, we would at least be bowling short and wide to him as we had that protection in the deep point.
“Luckily for me, he picked out the guy, but I didn’t plan to get him out that way. We were just trying to close off his scoring options. Fortunately, that led to his wicket.”
Jansen says the Proteas aren’t too concerned by the unbeaten 66-run stand between Mitchell and De Grandhomme.
“We always knew there was going to be a partnership somewhere, but we said we won’t back down if one comes up.
“We just need to stay in the fight and keep hitting our areas for as long as possible. We’re going to go out on day three and try to make them play as much as possible.
“We’ll try to force them to make the mistakes because it is a good batting wicket if the ball isn’t doing anything.”
