Cricket: South Africa take charge of third test

6.00pm UPDATE

South Africa tightened the screws on New Zealand as the immoveable Jacques Rudolph gave the tourists a stronghold on the third cricket test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington today.

Fresh from his 154 not out in the second test, Rudolph was unbeaten on 60 at stumps on the second day as South Africa reached 237 for three in reply to New Zealand's first innings of 297.

South Africa took the honours on another windswept day before 3800 at the Basin Reserve, polishing off New Zealand's first innings in 65 minutes this morning then largely dominating with the bat as they look to recover a 0-1 series deficit.

The only period of hope for New Zealand was just before the tea break when first test hero Chris Martin removed Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten within three balls to reduce them to 136 for three.

Rudolph, having averaged 81 in the series to date, steadied the ship, reaching his fourth test half-century off 109 balls.

He and Martin van Jaarsveld, a surprise recall for the axed Neil McKenzie, added an unbroken 101 for the fourth wicket. Van Jaarsveld was on 48 at the close, with the new ball due in six overs.

South African coach Eric Simons was happy with the situation on a bouncier pitch he rated much better suited to his bowling attack.

"It's the first time all tour that the gameplan we've set up in the team room bore some resemblance to what happened in the middle," Simons said.

New Zealand missed some crucial chances in the day, notably off Rudolph who was dropped by Mathew Sinclair at mid-wicket off Scott Styris on 51.

South African openers Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs took control from the start, adding their seventh century stand in test cricket off just 24 overs.

It took a stroke of luck for New Zealand to break the stand, with Smith chopping a full, wide delivery from Chris Cairns on to his stumps for 47.

Gibbs had his own luck thanks to an ordinary decision from umpire Asoka de Silva. Trying to sweep spinner Daniel Vettori, he got a thick edge to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum on 46 but was given not out.

Captain Stephen Fleming also failed to grasp a high chance at mid-on off Vettori with Gibbs on 63.

Martin made the vital inroads after taking none for 17 in his first four-over spell, having Gibbs caught at point for 77 then nicking out Kirsten, in his 101st and final test, for one.

Big allrounder Jacob Oram only bowled eight overs before injuring his hamstring, and he didn't bowl in the final session, while key man vettori ended frustrated with none for 71 off 23.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell admitted a win was slipping away from his side.

"If we want to win the game there's a lot of work to be done. We batted a little soft on the first day and therefore are playing catch-up for the rest of the test match," Bracewell said.

Earlier, New Zealand added 49 runs to their overnight score and lost four wickets today, with left-arm spinner Nicky Boje ending the innings when he had Jacob Oram stumped for 34.

Boje ended with the best South African figures of four for 65 off 20 overs.

Oram and No 11 Martin lifted New Zealand towards 300 with an entertaining last-wicket stand of 33 in a howling northerly wind at the Basin Reserve.

Martin broke his world record run of nine consecutive scores of nought or nought not out, and was one not out off eight balls as Oram blazed away.

He hit three fours and two sixes scoring 34 off 38 balls after Cairns was dismissed for 69, bowled by Shaun Pollock after adding just nine to his overnight score.


NZ V SOUTH AFRICA SCOREBOARD



New Zealand

First innings (248-6 overnight)

M Richardson c Boucher b Kallis 14

M Papps lbw b Ntini 7

S Fleming c Pollock b Boje 30

M Sinclair lbw b Boje 74

S Styris b Boje 1

B McCullum lbw b Pollock 55

C Cairns b Pollock 69

J Oram st Boucher b Boje 34

D Vettori c Boucher b Pollock 0

M Mason c van Jaarsveld b Nel 3

C Martin not out 1

Extras (2b, 1lb, 5nb, 1w) 9

Total (104 overs) 297

Fall: 23 (Papps), 23 (Richardson), 90 (Fleming), 97 (Styris), 163 (Sinclair), 248 (McCullum), 257 (Cairns), 257 (Vettori), 264 (Mason), 297 (Oram).

Bowling: S Pollock 29-2-85-3 (4nb, 1nb), M Ntini 21-6-63-1 (1nb), J Kallis 7-5-4-1, A Nel 27-9-77-1, N Boje 20-2-65-4.

South Africa

First innings

G Smith b Cairns 47

H Gibbs c sub (J Marshall) b Martin 77

J Rudolph not out 60

G Kirsten c McCullum b Martin 1

M van Jaarsveld not out 48

Extras (1lb, 3nb) 4

Total (for 3 wkts, 74 overs) 237

Fall: 103 (Smith), 130 (Gibbs), 136 (Kirsten).

Bowling: C Martin 13-4-34-2 (1nb), M Mason 13-4-59-0, J Oram 8-3-10-0, D Vettori 23-5-71-0, C Cairns 11-2-44-1 (2nb), S Styris 6-2-18-0.