Cricket: Bowlers miss their chance on good pitch

South African batsman Hashim Amla was a victim of New Zealand's otherwise disappointing bowling attack at the Basin Reserve. Photo / Getty Images

The bowlers were off their game, but New Zealand are still in the frame going into the second day of the final test against South Africa.

The tourists start today at 136 for two, having been sent in, and will figure that to be a decent three hours work - and also reckon themselves stiff to lose the two wickets they did.

It was a different story for New Zealand. They got what they wanted at the toss, but were simply unable to squeeze the South African batsmen sufficiently.

Too often the seamers were wide, the length wrong and Hashim Amla and opener Alviro Petersen, in particular, cashed in.

Strong words were said at the tea break.

"We were pretty honest with ourselves," seamer Doug Bracewell said last night.

"We missed our lengths early on so it's just a matter of more consistency with the ball - and the body language could have been better. It's about being harder on ourselves."

Perhaps the bowlers were over-eager and got ahead of themselves when play finally began three and a half hours late. Certainly they fluffed their lines.

The one wicket before the tea break was marginal, too.

South African captain Graeme Smith was given caught behind off Bracewell but didn't appear to have touched it as it flew past the bat's inside edge.

It was a poor stroke, but even so, it seemed a poorer decision. Hot Spot showed no touch; Snicko didn't blink either. Smith walked off shaking his head.

Bracewell admitted it was "a tough one".

"All the boys were pretty confident they heard a noise behind the wicket. I saw a little bit of deviation."

South Africa's assistant coach Russell Domingo said the DRS system was to prevent the real blooper. This decision wasn't that, so move on.

"I don't think we are going to lose too much sleep about it," he added cryptically.

However, New Zealand could not grab the opening.

Petersen knuckled down, while Amla was in champion touch. The odd delivery beat the bat, and the ball jagged about for Chris Martin in particular, but New Zealand were too sloppy too often.

Amla kept hitting boundaries, spinner Dan Vettori was on for the 14th over, a worrying sign, but when Dean Brownlie's occasional medium pacers were introduced for the 26th over it was time for serious head scratching. Remember, New Zealand had to force the game, they had conditions to suit their seam bowling attack.

Taking a punt 40 overs in is one thing; having Brownlie mark out his run-up inside the first two hours quite another.

Amla rubbed his eyes and picked up his pudding plate. Four times in two expensive overs he found the fence to complete his 23rd test 50.

Maybe his thought processes were loosened because straight after tea, he miscued an attempted pull shot at Mark Gillespie and skied the catch. He now averages a mere 79.22 against New Zealand.

Even that had a touch of controversy about it, with Gillespie's back foot appearing to be touching the return crease, and thus a no-ball. In the end he got away with it, but it was a close shave.

"We thought he did [break the line]," Domingo said. "But it's not our call."

The first session is key today. Bracewell insists his teammates remain upbeat.

"There's still a lot of cricket left in this test."

True, but New Zealand's bowlers need to lift their game significantly.

South Africa have also brought in aggressive, bouncy quick bowler Marchant de Lange for legspinner Imran Tahir. New Zealand's batsmen know what's in store for them later in the match.

Scoreboard

SOUTH AFRICA
First Innings

G Smith c van Wyk b Bracewell 5
A Petersen not out 44
H Amla c van Wyk b Gillespie 63
JP Duminy not out 23
Extras (lb 0, wd 1, nb 0)1 - -
Total (for 2 wickets, 42.0 overs)136

Fall: 1-13 (GC Smith, 5.1), 2-106 (HM Amla, 33.5)
Bowling: CS Martin 9-3-21-0, DAJ Bracewell 11-1-30-1, MR Gillespie 9-1-37-1 (1w, DL Vettori 11-3-28-0, DG Brownlie 2-0-20-0.