Third Test ends in a draw and South Africa take the series 1-0 – Recap
A brave fight from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KS-Williamson-c1813 on the fifth day of the third Test match ensured that New Zealand gained a moral victory over the visiting South African team, to earn a satisfying draw.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wellington-c864 on the back of a victory and for much of the Test match, and it looked like South Africa would emerge victorious but New Zealand played out of their skins to guarantee a draw.
New Zealand was set a target of 389 to win in 80.4 overs on the last day to clinch an unlikely victory. The Kiwis never attempted to chase the target and having lost http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849 to injury, they were left to play with only 9 batsmen. They ended the day on
200 for 6, 189 short of the target.
New Zealand got off to the worst possible start, losing Flynn to Morkel in the 3rd over of the day, with the score at 1. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BB-McCullum-c1129 came into bat, to join Guptill. Runs were not easy to make, with the South African bowlers testing the two
batsmen repeatedly. Eventually McCullum succumbed to Morkel, who caught the batsman leg-before-wicket, for a duck and the Kiwis were reeling at 2 for 1 in 4.4 overs. Williamson joined Guptill in the middle, and they achieved the first target of reaching lunch
without any further loss.
New Zealand resumed after lunch on 26 for 2, and a long steady partnership was the need, instead Guptill was out soon, losing his wicket to Morkel, who was the chief destroyer. Brownlie joined Williamson in the middle. They pair added 51 runs in 15 overs
to frustrate the Proteas. Brownlie lost his wicket to Morkel at the score of 83, and one ball later Morkel got the wicket of Vettori. New Zealand was looking at defeat when Van Wyk joined Williamson in the middle.
Both players batted responsibly and took the initiative back from South Africa. South Africa also added the Kiwis by dropping catches. In total they missed four chances on the final day, and it was unusual for the Proteas to drop so many catches in a single
innings.
Both batsmen took the score to 163 in 61.3 overs, when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CS-Martin-c1295, who is
as easy a wicket as any.
However, Bracewell dug deep and helped Williamson reach his hundred, keeping South Africa at bay. The pair played out nearly 20 overs to guide New Zealand to a draw.
South threw one final dice, when they took the new ball in the last over of the day. Philander was unable to grab a wicket and with it the fate of the match was sealed.
South Africa won the series 1-0 and they were the better team throughout the series. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 can take heart from their performance.
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