Steyn destroys NZ as South Africa win

CENTURION, Nov 18: Fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed his second successive ten-wicket haul as South Africa crushed New Zealand by an innings and 59 runs on the third day of the second and final Test against New Zealand at Centurion Park Sunday.

Steyn wrecked the New Zealand second innings, taking a career-best six for 49 as New Zealand were shot out for 136.

Only former captain Stephen Fleming, who made 54, shone for an outclassed New Zealand team.

Steyn, who was man-of-the-match when South Africa won the first Test in Johannesburg by 358 runs, started the New Zealand slide by dismissing both opening batsmen, Lou Vincent and Michael Papps, within his first nine deliveries of the innings.

Both were out leg before but Vincent was unlucky as replays showed the ball would have missed leg stump. Steyn was again named man-of-the-match and took the man-of-the-series award.

Vincent was opening in place of Craig Cumming, who was ruled out of the match after he suffered a fractured cheekbone and jaw when he was struck by a Steyn bouncer in the first innings.

Fleming and Scott Styris (29) put on 60 for the third wicket before New Zealand suffered another double blow.

Styris was caught at second slip off Jacques Kallis for 29 and he was quickly followed by Ross Taylor, who was run out by a smart piece of fielding by Hashim Amla at short leg.

Taylor struck two boundaries off Andre Nel before surviving an appeal for lbw. Amla fielded the ball and immediately flicked it into the stumps with Taylor out of his ground.

Fleming completed New Zealand’s first half-century of the series when he drove Makhaya Ntini through the covers for four in the last over before tea. He was on 54 not out at the interval.

Fleming did not add to his score before he was trapped leg before by a ball from Steyn which swung in to him. New Zealand’s resistance crumbled as the last five wickets fell for 19 runs, four falling to Steyn.

Steyn completed victory for South Africa with two days to spare with a perfect full-length away-swinger which knocked Iain O’Brien’s middle stump out of the ground.

Steyn’s match figures of 10 for 91 were two runs better than his 10 for 93 in the first Test.

Earlier Amla completed his second successive century, while New Zealand fast bowler Mark Gillespie took five wickets on debut but could not prevent South Africa from taking a 195-run first innings lead.

South Africa were all out for 383 shortly before lunch.

Gillespie took five for 136 and led a New Zealand fightback as South Africa lost five wickets for 60 runs at the start of the day.

But an aggressive ninth wicket stand of 51 between tailenders Nel and Steyn, who both scored 25, enabled South Africa to regain the momentum they held through most of the first two days.

South Africa, who won the first Test in Johannesburg by 358 runs, started the day on 372 for three in reply to New Zealand’s 188.

Gillespie struck early when he had Ashwell Prince caught at gully. But Amla, resuming on 89, completed his second successive century before he was caught at cover off O’Brien.

NEW ZEALAND 1st INNS 188

SOUTH AFRICA 1st INNS (overnight 272-3)

G.C.Smith b Martin 2

H.H.Gibbs b Martin 25

H.M.Amla c Papps b O’Brien 103

J.H.Kallis lbw b Gillespie 131

A.G.Prince c sub (How) b Gillespie 13

A.B.de Villiers c McCullum b Gillespie 33

M.V.Boucher b Gillespie 1

P.L.Harris c McCullum b Gillespie 0

A Nel lbw b Vettori 25

D.W.Steyn c Papps b O’Brien 25