for quality writing

Ken Borland


Cold weather & stubborn pitch no antiseptic to Rabada’s debilitating bowling

Posted on March 31, 2022 by Ken

Cold weather and a Hagley Oval pitch that stubbornly refused to quicken up was no antiseptic for the debilitating fast bowling of Kagiso Rabada as he reduced New Zealand to 157/5 at stumps on the second day of the second Test against South Africa in Christchurch on Saturday.

Rabada had bowled superbly to take 3/37 in 12 overs, leaving the Black Caps still 207 runs behind on first innings and extremely grateful for the unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 66 between Daryl Mitchell (29*) and Colin de Grandhomme (54*) that took them to the close.

It took Rabada just four deliveries to strike, although there was an element of good fortune for the bowler as NZ skipper Tom Latham (0) edged a delivery down the leg-side and was brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne.

Rabada’s second wicket came in his third over as he removed the other Kiwi opener, Will Young (3), caught behind with a delivery that climbed steeply outside off-stump.

The ace fast bower’s best wicket was his third and last as he jagged a delivery back into the off-stump of Tom Blundell, who was bowled shouldering arms for six.

With Marco Jansen claiming the key wickets of Devon Conway, also caught behind down the leg-side, for 16 and Henry Nicholls, who was caught by a well-placed deep backward point on 39, New Zealand slumped to 91/5.

But some clean striking by De Grandhomme and Mitchell provided a defiant end to the day for the home side.

South Africa, resuming on 238/3, had earlier posted 364 all out, their best total since scoring 621 against Sri Lanka in the 2020 Boxing Day Test at Centurion.

After the heroics of the first day and Sarel Erwee’s century, they did not make the best start to the second day, however, as their middle-order became bogged down and they crashed to 302/8.

But momentum was regained by a marvellous partnership of 62 off just 79 balls, South Africa’s record for the ninth wicket against New Zealand, between Jansen (37*) and Keshav Maharaj (36).

Left-arm quick Neil Wagner caused most of the damage on Saturday as he took 4/102 in 31 overs, while first Test destroyer Matt Henry claimed 3/90 in 35 overs.

Leave a Reply


  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Thought of the Day

    Philippians 2:5 – “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

    “One thing we know, those who call themselves Christians and walk in fellowship with him must grow in the knowledge and grace of their Lord and Master so that they can become like him.” – A Shelter From The Storm, Solly Ozrovech

    This requires spiritual discipline.

    Free your thoughts of fear, bitterness, hate, greed and pride; i.e. develop and maintain Jesus’s attitude towards life.

    How do we do that? – by studying his life in the Bible and willingly and unconditionally following his guidance.



↑ Top