Dean Elgar has lauded his Proteas players for fighting back against the Black Caps to share the two-match Test series.
South Africa picked up the six New Zealand wickets they needed on day five to secure a memorable 198-run win.
“One-all, coming to New Zealand, I think at the start of the series I would have taken that result,” said Elgar.
“Be that as it may, we didn’t start very well. So, it’s a little bit difficult to take things after that first Test because there were so many learnings and we didn’t really pitch up in that first game.
“But to see the guys show a lot of character, a lot of growth and maturity and to get the win the way we did in the last Test is brilliant for us.”
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Elgar surprised many when he became the first captain to win the toss and opt to bat first in a Test at Hagley Oval.
While he said he wanted his batsmen to “front up” after being skittled for 95 and 111 in the first Test at the same venue, he had also noticed that the pitch, which is usually green and a fast bowler’s dream, had a brown tinge to it.
“Visually, the pitch looked a lot different to the first Test,” Elgar explained. “It wasn’t as green. There was a lot less green grass and browner grass on the wicket. It looked a little bit like a bat-first wicket.
“But I think, because of what happened in the first Test, the easy soft decision would have been to bowl first if we won the toss.
“My nature, my character is not to take the easy way out but to run towards the pressure that you’re facing.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to make these tough calls for your squad and it was great to see the guys respond.
“Although it worked out and it played nicely in our favour, the [New Zealand] bowlers still posed quite a tough challenge for us up front.
“But we managed to negate it and put on a good opening-wicket partnership [111 from 219 balls].”
