Cricket: Black Caps back in the test

JOHANNESBURG - Paceman Chris Martin is again looming as a pivotal figure as New Zealand look to break South African hearts in the third test at the Wanderers.

The quietly-spoken opening bowler led his side back into the match with a five-wicket bag in the South African first innings, and will probably need to emulate that effort tonight if New Zealand are to have any chance of squaring the series.

At stumps this morning, New Zealand had spluttered through to 214 for six in their second innings, a lead of 147 with Daniel Vettori unbeaten on 21 and Jacob Oram on 19.

Given the sporting nature of the Wanderers' pitch, any sizeable chase is sure to provide it's share of problems for the team batting last, particularly as Martin – who has now snared 98 career wickets – has a history of success against South Africa.

His five for 37 last night was his seventh five wicket bag, and gave him career figures against South Africa of 37 wickets at 22.02. Those figures include a man of the match performance at Auckland in 2003-04 when he took eleven wickets.

Resuming at 133 for four, the South Africans lost their last six wickets for just 53 runs, most of which came from the bat of Shaun Pollock, who was unbeaten on 32 when he ran out of partners, having struck three fours and brace of sixes.

Martin had chipped out Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Kallis on the first day, and returned last night to send back second test century-maker Ashwell Prince, Andrew Hall and Dale

Steyn, ruining South Africa's hopes of developing a substantial lead.

South Africa's innings lasted just 44 overs, exactly the same number as they bowled against New Zealand.

Trailing by 67 runs on the first innings, the tourists made their customary poor start to the second, losing Jamie How to a Steyn thunderbolt in the third over, and fellow opener Michael Papps to a catch behind the wicket in the 12th over.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming looked the most assured of the New Zealand line-up but perished midway through the second session, at which stage – given the collapse his dismissal precipitated on the first day – it looked like the test could be over in two days.

However, a fourth wicket partnership of 76 between Scott Styris and Nathan Astle steadied the ship and allowed New Zealand to work towards a useful lead, and left the test match in the balance when Oram and Vettori accepted the light at 4.05pm.

Astle made 45 before being caught at the wicket off Dale Steyn, Styris was hit in the head by Steyn before miscuing an attempted hook off the same bowler when he was 42, and Brendon McCullum was desperately unlucky to fall victim to an atrocious decision from umpire Asoka de Silva.

The little New Zealand wicket-keeper had clipped one delightful boundary off his toes for four when he was given out caught at the wicket, when television replays showed the ball had only deflected off his back thigh.

The challenge for New Zealand now will be to cope with the early morning conditions when the test resumes tonight, as the Wanderers pitch has tended to provide more sideways movement on the first session of each day.

Scoreboard at close of play on the second day:

New Zealand 1st innings 119 (M. Ntini 5-35)

South Africa 1st innings (Overnight: 133-4)
G. Smith c McCullum b Franklin 63
B. Dippenaar b Martin 0
H. Amla c Papps b Styris 56
J. Kallis b Martin 9
A. Prince c McCullum b Martin 4
A. de Villiers c Styris b Franklin 2
M. Boucher lbw b Franklin 0
S. Pollock not out 32
A. Hall lbw b Martin 5
D. Steyn b Martin 2
M. Ntini c McCullum b Mills 8
Extras(nb-5) 5
Total (all out, 44 overs)186

Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-99 3-131 4-131 5-139 6-139 7-139 8-145 9-161 10-186

Bowling
C. Martin 15 - 2 - 37 - 5(nb-1)
J. Franklin 13 - 2 - 87 - 3 (nb-4)
J. Oram 4 - 0 - 20 - 0
K. Mills 8 - 0 - 30 - 1
N. Astle 2 - 0 - 11 - 0
S. Styris 2 - 1 - 1 - 1

New Zealand 2nd innings
M. Papps c Hall b Kallis 15
J. How lbw b Steyn 4
S. Fleming c AB de Villiers b Kallis 37
S. Styris c&b Steyn 42
N. Astle c Boucher b Steyn 45
J. Oram not out 19
B. McCullum c Boucher b Pollock 5
D. Vettori not out 21
Extras(b-5 lb-16 nb-3 w-2)26
Total (for 6 wickets, 57.5 overs) 214

Fall of wickets: 1-9 2-40 3-82 4-158 5-177 6-190
To bat: J. Franklin, K. Mills, C. Martin

Bowling
D. Steyn 16 - 2 - 62 - 3 (nb-3 w-1)
M. Ntini 13 - 2 - 41 - 0
J. Kallis 8 - 1 - 20 - 2 (w-1)
A. Hall 11 - 1 - 47 - 0
S. Pollock 9.5 - 3 - 23 - 1