Ken Borland

Kyle Verreynne is not going to resemble Quinton de Kock nor necessarily fit the perception of what some people believe a Test batsman should look like, but the 24-year-old proved in no uncertain fashion that he belongs at the highest level as his magnificent maiden Proteas century put South Africa in command of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch on Monday.

Verreynne has had a tough time at Test level, scoring just 112 runs in his first eight innings, but he more than doubled that with his brilliant 136 not out in the second innings at Hagley Oval. Going back to the batsman he was before his elevation to Test level provided the breakthrough for the Western Province wicketkeeper/batsman.

“It’s been challenging mentally and Test cricket is the toughest format,” Verreynne said. “My first three series have been on challenging pitches, the wickets for the India series were the toughest I’ve ever batted on and the first Test here was difficult too.

“So you have a lot of doubts and you read what people write about your technique and it’s a challenge. It’s important to keep your self-belief and back your preparation and what you have done in the past.

“In the build-up to this game I did quite a lot of work on my technique and I felt in a really good space, it was just about getting mentally right. I’ve gone back to what I was doing for the last couple of years.

“Footwork has never been a strong point of mine, for me it’s more about my contact points and playing the ball late. Fortunately it worked out and hopefully I’m through that tough phase in my career now,” Verreynne said.

Verreynne praised Kagiso Rabada for his ferocious innings of 47 off 34 balls after lunch on the fourth day that saw the rampant duo hammer 69 runs in eight overs. Not only did their efforts allow South Africa to declare at tea with a lead of 425, but the momentum was carried through into the field, Rabada roaring in with the ball and dismissing both New Zealand openers in his first two overs.

“The third evening was a tricky period for myself and Wiaan Mulder, the stage of the game was such that we just had to get through, and the first 30 minutes this morning were the same, and then we could show more intent.

“KG said he felt pretty good and he would stick around for me to get my hundred. But then it looked like he just couldn’t miss the ball and his innings was a big factor in the energy we took into our bowling,” Verreynne said.

Kyle Verreynne went to a superb maiden Test century and Kagiso Rabada was explosive with both bat and ball to put South Africa in firm control of the second Test against New Zealand on the fourth day at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday.

Verreynne’s 136 not out, a magnificent innings combining bravery, tenacity, composure and skill, carried the Proteas to 354/9 declared in their second innings.

It allowed them to set New Zealand the daunting target of 426, which has never been successfully chased in Test cricket before, and the home side had struggled to 94/4 at stumps on the penultimate day.

Rabada removed both openers, Will Young (0) and Tom Latham (1) in his first two overs and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj then began to weave his magic as he bowled both Henry Nicholls (7) and Daryl Mitchell (24) with brilliant deliveries.

Rabada ended the day with 2/17 in eight overs, while Maharaj bowled 16 overs and claimed 2/32.

Devon Conway was the one batsman to frustrate the Proteas as he showed plenty of determination, sticking around for 127 deliveries and reaching 60 not out.

South Africa began the fourth day on 140/5, just 211 ahead, and Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder had to show great composure and skill to get through the crucial first hour.

They took their sixth-wicket stand to 78 before Mulder fell for a valuable 35 on the first drinks break, wicketkeeper Tom Blundell taking a fine diving catch off Kyle Jamieson.

South Africa took lunch on 232/7 and a remarkable second session followed as Verreynne and a ferocious Rabada were in rampant form with the bat.

Rabada blasted a career-best 47 off just 34 balls with four sixes, while Verreynne also cut loose as 69 runs were thrashed in the first eight overs after the break.

New Zealand’s frustration did not end either with Rabada’s dismissal, as Verreynne added another 57 runs with Maharaj and Lutho Sipamla before the declaration came at the tea break.

Rassie van der Dussen had to weather a torrid start to his innings and then a spiteful burst of short-pitched bowling from former team-mate Neil Wagner, but the phlegmatic 33-year-old still managed to top-score for South Africa on another gripping day of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

Van der Dussen’s 45 helped shore up the middle-order after Tim Southee had dismissed both openers with just 23 runs on the board, adding 65 for the fourth wicket with Temba Bavuma (23). The Proteas ended the third day on 140/5, a lead of 211.

“We went out with a useful lead and tried to play on the front foot, looking to score, but New Zealand have a world-class attack and they really don’t give you much,” Van der Dussen said.

“I myself was a bit more streaky than I usually am at the start of my innings and Neil then bowled a brilliant spell of short ones, which unfortunately got me out.

“Fourteen years back, when I made my first-class debut for Northerns, we were in the same team. I knew his plan and he knew that I was not going to leave any short balls, there were runs there to be had.

“So it was me or him and I just needed to last one or two overs more and I would have won the battle. But he has a big tank and well done to him. I’m sure it was entertaining to watch,” Van der Dussen said.

Colin de Grandhomme’s brilliant 120 not out had earlier kept the Black Caps in the game as he lifted them to 293 all out. Kagiso Rabada, who took 5/60, and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj were the only bowlers to keep him contained for long though, and Van der Dussen said they would be the pair the Proteas will probably be calling on in the fourth innings to win the game and level the series for South Africa.

“It would be really encouraging if we can strike early again in their second innings, and the way they played Kesh in the first innings, I think he is really going to come into it in the fourth innings.

“If we can bat through the first session tomorrow [Monday], then we will be in a great position and any lead above 270 we would be reasonably happy with.

“We’ve got to give Kesh the chance to really get into the game and hopefully the pitch will deteriorate. KG also plays a big role for us. He doesn’t miss his lines and lengths much.

“KG asks lots of questions, he can swing the ball and he has a good bouncer and a good yorker. The team looks to him to win matches for us and he knows it. He takes responsibility, he knows that if he takes wickets then we win Tests,” Van der Dussen said.

Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder were the last two bollards standing between New Zealand and the tail as South Africa closed the third day of the second Test on 140/5, a lead of 211, at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday.

Having gained a handy 71-run first-innings lead, the Proteas second innings was an uphill struggle, with Neil Wagner’s two afternoon strikes reducing them to 114/5. But the inexperienced pairing of Verreynne (22*) and Mulder (10*) then batted with determination as they posted an unbeaten stand of 26 to take South Africa to stumps.

Frustratingly for the visitors, Wagner’s two victims, Rassie van der Dussen (45) and Temba Bavuma (23), were both soft dismissals.

Van der Dussen had survived a torrid time before tea but was looking increasingly solid when left-armer Wagner turned to his trademark short-pitched strategy. Van der Dussen took just about everything on, was dropped at square-leg by Colin de Grandhomme on 40, and then tried to pull out of a hook shot, only to send a return catch back to the bowler.

Bavuma was well set and looked as likely a candidate as anyone to play a matchwinning innings, but then drove Wagner straight to cover.

Tim Southee had earlier removed both openers, Sarel Erwee (8) and Dean Elgar (13) with quality swing and seam bowling, while Aiden Markram once again looked good in scoring 14 before being bowled by an excellent yorker from Matt Henry.

New Zealand had begun the day on 157/5, with Daryl Mitchell and De Grandhomme having already added 66 for the sixth wicket. They took their partnership to 133 before left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who could well be a key figure in the final innings, trapped Mitchell lbw for a tenacious 60 with a delivery that skidded on straight.

New Zealand’s fast bowlers were much less effective with the bat than they had been in the first Test, with Marco Jansen (22-2-98-4) and Kagiso Rabada wrapping up the tail as the Black Caps were bowled out for 293.

De Grandhomme’s brilliant, career-best innings of 120 not out was perhaps not used to its full potential in the end, but he certainly kept New Zealand in the game. He adapted to the differing situations out in the middle extremely well, eventually needing just 158 deliveries for his runs.

Rabada produced another fine, controlled display of fast bowling to finish with 5/60 in 19 overs.