New Zealand have thrashed South Africa by 281 runs, their second highest margin of victory, to put one hand on the new Tangiwai Shield at the end of day four of the first Test at Mount Maunganui today.
The Proteas were dismissed for 247, with Kane Williamson taking the catch off Mitchell Santner's bowling to dismiss Dane Paterson for the final wicket.
It was a complete performance over four days at Bay Oval by the Black Caps which featured a brilliant 240 by 24-year-old Rachin Ravindra in his fourth Test and a century in each innings by Williamson. The former skipper now has 31 Test tons.
After declaring overnight, the Black Caps asked South Africa to chase a total of 529 for victory and while the tourists dug deeper than in the first innings when they were dismissed for 162, with middle order batter David Bedingham taking on the challenge to strike 87 off 96 deliveries - including four consecutive fours off skipper Tim Southee - the result was a foregone conclusion.
The tourists had a knack for losing wickets in pairs throughout, with seamer Kyle Jamieson taking 4-58 and Santner 3-59.
After striking early to dismiss South Africa's openers Neil Brand and Edward Moore for five runs, the Black Caps were on track for their highest ever margin of victory in Tests (423 runs against Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 2018), but some resistance from Raynard van Tonder (31) and Zubayr Hamza (36), plus Bedingham's knock - his highest Test score - put paid to that.
One of the more unusual dismissals of the Test came via Glenn Phillips when Clyde Fortuin pulled a short ball directly on to Tom Latham's right knee, the ball rebounding straight into keeper Tom Blundell's gloves. It was Phillips' first Test wicket in New Zealand.
New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a Test series.
The second Test is in Hamilton and starts on Tuesday.
Follow the summer of cricket with TVNZ this summer.
SHARE ME