Lunch New Zealand 247 for 5 (Williamson 111*, Watling 20*) trail South Africa 308 by 61 runs
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Kane Williamson completed his 16th Test century on the third morning in Dunedin as the contest continued to fluctuate with neither side taking a complete hold. South Africa made two breakthroughs but Williamson and BJ Watling added an unbroken 54 to edge New Zealand to within 62 of a lead.
Williamson did not add to his overnight score of 78 for the first 50 minutes of play as Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel sent down demanding spells, but made better progress in the second hour, reaching his hundred from 195 balls when he lapped a full toss from JP Duminy. It was his third century as captain, but on a different level to the previous ones against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
There was also better news on Ross Taylor who had a short net after being diagnosed with a low grade calf strain and would be available to bat if required.
When New Zealand resumed on 177 for 3 nightwatchman Jeetan Patel did not hold up South Africa for too long. After a couple of pleasing cover drives he was brilliantly caught in the slips by Faf du Plessis, who was stood very close and grabbed the chance one-handed above his head – another in the list of du Plessis’ outstanding catches.
Shortly before the hour-mark, James Neesham also departed after being worked over by Rabada and Morkel although there was a dose of controversy in the dismissal. Morkel found the outside edge but it was mighty close to a no-ball. Rod Tucker, the third umpire, took nearly three minutes to decide it was a legal delivery, ruling that when Morkel’s toe became grounded a fraction of his heel was behind the popping crease even though raised.
While Taylor had by then been announced available to bat, the innings was at a tipping point with New Zealand still more than 100 behind. For a moment South Africa had a sixth wicket when Watling was lbw 3 off Keshav Maharaj but the DRS showed it had come off his arm first and the tracker had it bouncing well over the stumps.
Williamson moved to 98 with a pull off Maharaj and was then greeted by the sight of Duminy’s first bowl of the day – a loopy full toss was a friendly delivery to receive on 99 and he duly dabbed it away to move to his 16th Test century, putting him level with Taylor and one behind Martin Crowe’s record of 17.
There was not much fluency from Watling, but plenty of grit and he collected boundaries off Maharaj and Duminy as South Africa hustled towards the second new-ball. Although it became available five minutes before lunch it was held back. The impact of it could be a defining period of the Test.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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