<p><strong>We're not in panic mode, insists Amla after a tumultuous day one – Cricket News Update</strong></p>
<p>Despite having a tumultuous start to the opening Test of the three-match series against New Zealand here at Dunedin today, March 7, 2012, South Africa top order batsman, Hashim Amla has said that they would not press the panic button, and will try to make
a comeback in the match with some solid performances in the rest of the match.</p>
<p>At the end of day one, the tourists were struggling at 191 for 7, with Jacques Rudolph and Vernon Philander at the crease unbeaten on 46 and 4 respectively.</p>
<p>"We knew this series was going to be a very challenging one. First day of a Test match I think everyone is just feeling how it goes," said Amla speaking to media reporters at the post-day press conference.</p>
<p>"We didn't have a very good day but it's happened before and we've come out on top, so while we are disappointed, we're not in panic mode or anything," he added further.</p>
<p>After being put into bat under overcast conditions, the tourists went off to a steady start losing only one wicket in the opening session of the day. At tea, the Proteas looked quite stable at 86 for 1 with Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla at the crease.</p>
<p>But soon after the tea break, Chris Martin struck thrice in four balls sending opener Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Proteas vice captain AB de Villiers back to the pavilion to leave the visitors 90 for 4 on the board. Both Kallis and de Villiers could
not even open their accounts.</p>
<p>Amla, the 31-year-old right-handed batsman from Natal, was happy with the way the wicket behaved even in overcast conditions.</p>
<p>"The wicket played quite well. There wasn't a lot of seam movement, but as the day went on I think the ball started to do a bit more in the last session," said the right hander.</p>
<p>Amla is so far the top scorer for the tourists with painstaking 62 of 102 balls. South Africa must win the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand by a 3-0 margin to dethrone England as the number one Test side.</p>
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