1st Test - S.Africa v N.Zealand - Cape Town - Day 1

On paper, the biggest mis-match since David took on Goliath.

Weather forecast for Cape Town, is lotsa sunshine .. this wont be a rain affected draw.

Cape Town, can be a pitch, where u can block, pretty easily, all day .. thou dont tell the Aussies that, as we saw all 4 innings in 1 day, in the corresponding fixture last yr.

Pre-match prices :

S.Africa 1.23

N.Zealand 17

Draw 7.6

Hard to argue .. N.Zealand are 3rd rate .. and missing some of their best players. Expect this to be over in 4 days - hope I am wrong.

 

Glorious day in Cape Town, and a very decent holiday crowd.

N.Zealand win the toss, and decide to bat, on a pitch, which has a few cracks.

 

N.Zealand run spread, about 265 ...

S.Africa drift a bit, to about 1.23 ... Looks a lump on job.

 

NZ 14-2 after 5 overs .. Pitch, doesn't look so bad .. But ... Etc

 

NZ 14-3 after 6 overs ..

 

NZ 21-4 after 8 overs ..

 

NZ 27-5 after 9 overs .. Sell your day 4/5 tickets now ...

 

Philander gets a 5 fer .. And a hat-trick ball ..

 

 

Here's the field setting ..

 

NZ put on a spurt .. 30-6 after 12 ..

 

NZ 38-8 after 16, nothing to say really ..

 

Maybe Chris Martin, who fancies himself as a batter, can get a quick 14, and top score ...

 

NZ 45-9 .. Trying to get past the 47, Aus were dismissed here for, last yr .. Maybe the pitch has demons ?

 

NZ 45 all out .. A disgrace, for an international team. A 5 day test, made into a 3 day game .. Sad.

 

SA have to bat a tricky 10 mins before lunch ...

 

Smith goes, LBW, for 1 .. NZ fight back !!

 

That's lunch then .. A lazy 11 wkts in the 1st session .. Afternoon rebooking everything, beckons.

 

SA steady enough after lunch, 30-1 after 7.

SA 72-1, and cruising .. Amla is a joy to watch.

Amla gets his 50 ... 79-1 after 17, NZ eating dirt.

Amla an absolute gent, not reviewing a LBW .. Out on 66 .. 108-2

 

Tea - SA 119-2 .. Lead by 74 ...

Petersen gets a solid 50 .. Kallis approaching 13000 test runs ...( not in this game)

And he smacks a 4, and raises his bat .. Great effort.

(Joins Dravid, Tendulkar and Ponting)

 

SA arch steadily on, 182-2 after 42, 26 overs left in the day. If they finish on 290 or so today, 250 in front, I imagine they will bat till maybe Tea tomorrow, before trying to finish the game in 3 days.

There is a slight possibility of rain in the morning, which may affect this, but it's hard to see any other outcome, than a whipping for NZ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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