New Zealand have it all to do as they will go into bat trailing by at least 81 runs on day three in Wellington.
It was a tale of two halves on day two of the second Test between the Black Caps and the Proteas at the Basin Reserve. The visitors were left in disarray after capitulating 94-6, but Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma have turned this match on its head with their 160-run stand.
It was the type of counterattacking batting we’ve come to expect from this pair, who did this twice in the Australia series Down Under late last year. De Kock scored 91, Bavuma 89, as they steered their side to 349-9 by stumps.
Morne Morkel (31) and Vernon Philander (36) provided some valuable assistance in the tail to push the lead past 80, which will be a daunting prospect for the Kiwis when they walk out to bat in the morning session.
The pitch has flattened out and isn’t too bad for batting on, but the pace duo of Morkel and Philander will be dying to get stuck in with the new ball when their batting partnership, which has stretched to 47 now, eventually comes to an end. Any runs now will be a bonus from the pair.
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Photo: Dianne Manson/Getty Images
