Recent Match Report - New Zealand vs South Africa 1st Test 2023/24

Lunch New Zealand65 for 2 (Williamson 26*, Ravindra 15*, Moreki 1-21, Paterson 1-17) vs South Africa

A spirited and inexperienced South Africa bowling attack troubled a more seasoned New Zealand batting line-up to leave them two down in the first session of the first Test in Mount Maunganui.

The spirit was reminiscent of Shamar Joseph’s Test debut across the Tasman from last month when Tshepo Moreki, one of the six debutants for the visitors, struck first ball with the wicket of Devon Conway. Kane Williamson looked scratchy on his return from a hamstring injury and he saw the hosts to lunch break with Rachin Ravindra after Tom Latham was removed by Dane Paterson.

South Africa captain Neil Brand, among the debutants, opted to bowl and Moreki proved it was the right decision by trapping Conway on the first ball of the second over when he came around the wicket and struck the batter in front of middle stump for 1. Moreki became the third bowler from South Africa since their readmission to strike on the first ball of his Test career, after Dane Piedt in 2014 and Hardus Viljoen in 2016.

Moreki also beat Williamson first ball by nearly tickling the outside edge with a ball that held its line. In his disciplined and accurate first spell of 5-1-10-1, Moreki beat Williamson three times in the 15 balls he bowled to the batter for just five runs.

Duanne Olivier, the most capped player in the side with 15 Tests, couldn’t keep the pressure up from the other end, though. He was too full, a shadow of his fast-bowling self that the world saw in 2017 as he bowled in the mid-120s, and leaked two fours to Latham’s drives in his second over.

Williamson started to play on the up once he settled in a little and gained some confidence from the fours he collected on the off side through Paterson. Like Olivier, Paterson also lacked pace but he used the scrambled seam often against Williamson to target the stumps for lbw attempts even though it didn’t get him any success despite the accuracy.

Latham was more steady of the two in the second-wicket stand of 37. He survived a loud lbw appeal from Paterson in the 15th over and showed his steady attitude by middling a much fuller delivery the very next ball for four through the covers. Paterson’s seam movement, however, finally paid off when his away movement across Latham drew an outside edge and lifted South Africa before lunch.

Apart from being beaten, Williamson was also nearly run out when No. 4 Rachin Ravindra, returning to the Test XI in place of Henry Nicholls, tapped his fifth ball to off for a quick single which Williamson was able to complete because of a wayward through.

South Africa hoped for more success in the overs before lunch by bringing back Moreki into the attack, although he was welcomed back with a six which Ravindra middled over the long-leg boundary. Moreki continued to impress nonetheless and even drew Ravindra’s edge three balls later but it fell well short of second slip.

There was some swing, some seam and good carry mostly in the first session after South Africa won the toss and fielded six debutants: Brand, Edward Moore, Raynard van Tonder, Moreki, Ruan de Swardt and Clyde Fortuin.