Cricket: NZ bowling attack punches above its weight

CENTURION - Not for the first time in recent weeks, an apparently weakened New Zealand bowling attack has punched above its weight, this time surprising South Africa on the first day of the opening test at SuperSport Park.

Not expected to cause too many problems after the withdrawal of key strike-bowler Shane Bond, the New Zealand pace combination instead took wickets throughout the day to leave their hosts at a modest 266 for eight at stumps.

Nicky Boje was unbeaten overnight on 20 and rookie fast-bowler Dale Steyn on 8.

Opening bowlers Kyle Mills and James Franklin were the unlikely heroes for the tourists, taking four and three wickets respectively, on a pitch that provided constant sideways movement, and more disconcertingly, inconsistent bounce at the Hennops River End.

Invited to bowl first after South African skipper Graeme Smith won the toss, the New Zealand attack seemed to struggle through the first session, and were facing a long day in the sun when their hosts headed for lunch at 85 for one, having lost Herscehlle Gibbs when the total was 16.

Gibbs, who endured a miserable series against Australia, shaped to play a Mills delivery from his crease and succeeded only in dragging it on to his stumps; the ninth time he's been bowled in his past 13 innings.

It was a heady moment for Mills, who was only playing because of the late scratching of Bond, and was also shouldering the unexpected responsibility of sharing the new ball with Franklin.

The Auckland seamer later ended Boeta Dippenaar's innings at 52, tempting the right hander to pull a ball from wide of off-stump, and then sent back left-hander Ashwell Prince with a delivery that climbed and took the outside edge.

Mills returned later with the second new ball to have Shaun Pollock caught at slip and to register his career-best bowling figures in tests – four for 43 off 18 overs.

While he was enjoying his success, Franklin was mostly battling for consistency and conceding a stream of boundaries on both sides of the wicket, as first Smith and Dippenaar and then Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers cashed in on anything inviting.

However, the determined left-armer began to hit his straps after lunch and, although giving up far too many boundaries, also began producing the occasional unplayable delivery. The rewards soon followed.

Having trapped Smith in front for 45, he then produced the delivery of the day to send back a bewildered Kallis; a perfectly executed in-swinging yorker that caused the South African star to fall over his feet in his effort to locate it.

Franklin then gave up another flurry of boundaries before unleashing a third devastating blow, bowling de Villiers with a delivery that maintained its line, leaving the South Africans staggering at 197 for six.

Bond had also been ruled out on the morning of the second test against the West Indies at Wellington, prompting a career best performance from Mills, a five-wicket bag from Franklin, and a useful hand from Chris Martin.

Martin also struggled at times yesterday but still had his moments, the best during the last session when he had Mark Boucher caught at slip by Stephen Fleming, courtesy of a deflection from third-slip Nathan Astle.

New Zealand have won only three tests in South Africa, and have never won a series.

* Scoreboard at stumps on the opening day of first cricket test between South Africa and New Zealand played at SuperSport Park.

South Africa

First innings
G Smith lbw Franklin 45
H Gibbs b Mills 6
B Dippenaar c Fulton b Mills 52
J Kallis b Frankin 38
A Prince c Styris b Mills 9
AB de Villiers b Franklin 27
M Boucher c Fleming b Martin 18
S Pollock c Styris b Mills 24
N Boje not out 20
D Steyn not out 8
Extras (6b 4lb 6nb 3w) 13
Total: (for 8 wkts, 90 overs) 266

Fall: 16 (Gibbs) 95 (Smith) 119 (Dippenaar) 130 (Prince) 177 (Kallis) 197 (de Villiers) 229 (Boucher) 233 (Pollock)

Bowling: K Mills 18-7-43-4(3nb); J Franklin 15-3-67-3 (1nb 1w); C Martin 20-4-64-1 (1nb 2w); J Oram 14-7-27-0; D Vettori 18-2-44-0 (1nb); N Astle 5-2-11-0.