(AFP)-Kyle Verreynne, Kagiso Rabada and the spin of Keshav Maharaj has South Africa eyeing victory over New Zealand at stumps on day four of the second Test in Christchurch on Monday.
New Zealand, set an imposing record target of 426, were 4-94 at the close of play with Devon Conway on 60 and Tom Blundell on one.
South Africa had declared their second innings at 9-354 with Verreynne unbeaten on 136 – his maiden Test century.
The current record for the highest successful fourth innings chase is 418 by the West Indies against Australia 19 years ago and New Zealand started as if they thought it was within reach.
Captain Tom Latham scampered for a cheeky single off the first ball to show intent but Rabada had other ideas.
Following his five-wicket haul in the first innings, and a rollicking 47 (34) with the bat earlier in the day, he removed Will Young for a duck with his third ball.
At the start of his second over he dismissed Latham for one and New Zealand were 2-6.
It ended a disappointing Test for the New Zealand openers who managed only four runs between them across the two innings
Left-arm spinner Maharaj, South Africa’s point of difference to New Zealand’s all pace attack, showed there was turn on the wicket and bowled Henry Nicholls for seven and Daryl Mitchell for 24.
When South Africa captain Dean Elgar elected to bat first — the first captain to win the toss at Hagley Oval and not bowl – he said he wanted his batters to “front up” after innings of 95 and 111 in their first Test thrashing.
Sarel Erwee obliged with a century in the first innings, and it was Verreynne’s turn in the second.
The 24-year-old, with a best score of 30 from his previous five Tests, anchored South Africa’s second innings revival when they slipped to 5-114.
He shared in 78-run partnerships with both Wiaan Mulder and Rabada before adding a further 32 with Lutho Sipamla for the tenth wicket until the declaration.
There was nothing reckless about his approach but he punished anything that was loose.
His 50 came from a single when he nudged Kyle Jamieson to fine leg and the 100 was from a boundary when he whipped Matt Henry in the same direction – one of 16 fours along with one six in his 299-minute stay in the middle.
Mulder reached 35 before he edged a Jamieson delivery and was caught one-handed by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell diving to his right.
Marco Jansen made nine before he swung Colin de Grandhomme to deep midwicket where he was spectacularly caught one-handed by Young as he rolled over to avoid hitting the boundary marker.
Rabada went on the rampage smacking four sixes and four fours before he was also caught in the deep attempting to reach his half century.
Maharaj added four in a brief stay in the middle and Lutho Sipamla was not out 10 after surviving a barrage of short balls, including one which struck him on the helmet.
New Zealand will begin day five needing 332 runs to win, or to survive 90 overs for a draw, to clinch their first ever series victory over the Proteas.
SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings 364
New Zealand 1st innings 293
South Africa 2nd innings
Sarel Erwee lbw Tim Southee 8
Dean Elgar c Tom Blundell b Tim Southee 13
Aiden Markram b Matt Henry 14
Rassie van der Dussen c&b Neil Wagner 45
Temba Bavuma c Tim Southee b Neil Wagner 23
Kyle Verreynne Not Out 136
Wiaan Mulder c Tom Blundell b Kyle Jamieson 35
Marco Jansen c Will Young b Colin de Grandhomme 9
Kagiso Rabada c Colin de Grandhomme b Matt Henry 47
Keshav Maharaj c Colin de Grandhomme b Kyle Jamieson 4
Lutho Sipamla Not Out 10
Extras 0b 5lb 2nb 0pen 3w 10
Total (100.0 overs) 354 decl
Fall of Wickets : 1-12 Erwee, 2-23 Elgar, 3-38 Markram, 4-103 van der Dussen, 5-114 Bavuma, 6-192 Mulder, 7-219 Jansen, 8-297 Rabada, 9-322 Maharaj
Bowling : Tim Southee 26 – 5 – 90 – 2, Matt Henry 24 – 5 – 81 – 2,
Kyle Jamieson 21 – 2 – 81 – 2 (3w 2nb), Neil Wagner 23 – 3 – 81 – 2,
Colin de Grandhomme 6 – 2 – 16 – 1.
NEW ZEALAND 2nd innings
Tom Latham c Rassie van der Dussen b Kagiso Rabada 1
Will Young c Temba Bavuma b Kagiso Rabada 0
Devon Conway Not Out 60
Henry Nicholls b Keshav Maharaj 7
Daryl Mitchell b Keshav Maharaj 24
Tom Blundell Not Out 1
Extras 0b 1lb 0nb 0pen 0w 1
Total (42.0 overs) 94-4
Fall of Wickets : 1-1 Young, 2-6 Latham, 3-25 Nicholls, 4-81 Mitchell
To Bat : de Grandhomme, Jamieson, Southee, Wagner, Henry
Bowling : Kagiso Rabada 8 – 2 – 17 – 2, Marco Jansen 8 – 1 – 30 – 0,
Keshav Maharaj 16 – 7 – 32 – 2, Lutho Sipamla 10 – 5 – 14 – 0.
