It was a day for sunscreen and the purists, and possibly the sado-masochists. Under the big blue of a perfect Bay of Plenty day, New Zealand’s greatest ever batter and a bloke named for two all-timers set about demoralising an inexperienced South African bowling attack via a lesson in test cricket.
Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra shared in an unbeaten 219-run stand that required the composure of a model nude — frustrating the efforts of Neil Brand’s pacemen and leaving the visitors scratching for answers on a pitch that offered little for the bowlers to start with, and nothing much after that.
This was Williamson at his finest, unhurried and unencumbered by any thoughts of scoring at pace.
Some might say Williamson made the day look harder that it may have been, but there was method in the madness of the master batter.
Williamson was not so much concerned with run rate as he was sadistically intent upon draining every ounce of energy out of Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Tsepo Moreki, and Ruan de Swardt.
Moreki’s first ball in test cricket ushered Williamson to the crease, after Conway was trapped leg-before, looking to turn an on-target delivery into the leg-side. At the close of play, Moreki had bowled another 131 balls, conceding 81 runs. It was a reminder to the debutant that nothing comes easy in test cricket — even if that’s what it must have felt like six hours earlier.
Williamson was already looking the part alongside Tom Latham, but when the latter nicked off Dane Paterson to the keeper, Clyde Fortuin, the path was cleared for Ravindra to enter the arena.
New Zealand were 39-2 and the Proteas could have been forgiven for thinking another breakthrough was imminent, given Ravindra’s small sample size of test match innings had thus far produced a top score of just 18*.
It was not to be.
Anchored in calm waters
Yes, there were early jitters. Paterson and Olivier showed a penchant for bowling to the lefties, and Ravindra bit at more than one baited delivery outside off. If the South African attack had been able to muster just a touch more patience and consistency, they may have been able to find the edge.
As it was, two things worked against them: a lack of genuine pace, and the fact Williamson was able to keep his young batting partner calm.
There is an alchemy in a test match partnership, and Williamson guided Ravindra to a 100-run stand (the 46th the former captain has been involved with) as if he had ascended to a zen-state through dot balls. The more Williamson blocked, the more Ravindra settled.
At tea, New Zealand were 125-2, by the close of play they were 258, Williamson moving past 100 for the 30th time, and Ravindra claiming a maiden test ton. The pair faced 470 deliveries.
Worryingly for the Proteas was the ease with which the New Zealand pair were able to accelerate through the final session. It was not as if more risks were taken – although Williamson played one rogue shot that was dropped by Edward Moore, and Ravindra one that was dropped by Olivier – it was an imperceptible shift in energy.
The South Africans were tiring, and the ideas tank seemed empty. The New Zealanders simply played more shots.
If you’re going to go all in, go all in
Day two now looms large for the Proteas. Moreki and Paterson looked spent by the end of the first day, and Duanne Olivier conceded the ice bath would be required overnight.
With Ravindra and Williamson set, the South Africans have to create something early, with a ball that is barely six overs old.
Brand needs solutions and his attack to stay consistent for longer periods. A spell of short ball bowling from Olivier toward the end of the day lasted barely two overs. In test matches, if you’re going to go all in, go all in.
There will also be intrigue to be found in how many overs of spin Brand himself is prepared to bowl. He cannot run his pacemen into the ground, but his nine overs on day one did not feel threatening.
If the Proteas cannot make early hay, the sun will be shining on the New Zealand batting lineup, luminously long and capable of piling on runs at pace. New Zealand can look to bat the day and essentially bat the Proteas out of the test. Mitchell, Blundell, and Phillips would certainly savour that prospect.
The way Williamson and Ravindra laid the foundation, don’t count out a first innings total that may well be enough to secure test victory.
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