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JOHANNESBURG - Four wickets by express bowler Shane Bond gave New Zealand the upper hand on the opening day of the first test against South Africa this morning.
New Zealand reached the close on 41 for two after dismissing South Africa, who won the toss and chose to bat, for 226.
"It's good to be picking up wickets," Bond told a news conference after snapping up four for 73. "We weren't sure what the wicket was going to do and we were probably going to have a bat if we had won the toss.
"But we soon saw it was moving around quite a lot. It was a good toss to lose."
Medium pacer Chris Martin, who had two catches dropped, supported Bond well and took three for 67.
Opener Herschelle Gibbs top-scored for South Africa with 63.
The hosts got off to the worst possible start when captain Graeme Smith attempted to leave a delivery from Martin in the second over and was bowled off the edge of his bat for one.
Hashim Amla scored 12 before Bond had him caught behind by Brendon McCullum with a ball that bounced steeply and straightened after pitching.
Both of Martin's dropped catches were offered shortly before lunch by Jacques Kallis, who was spilled on 23 by Michael Papps at third slip and on 27 by Iain O'Brien at fine leg.
The errors did not prove costly as Kallis drove at the first delivery after lunch, by medium pacer O'Brien, and was caught behind by McCullum for 29.
South Africa were reduced to 141 for five an hour before tea when Gibbs was caught by Fleming at first slip off Martin.
AB de Villiers stood firm for 33 while Mark Boucher (43) nursed the hosts past 200.
New Zealand lost their openers in the first 12 overs. Paceman Makhaya Ntini had Papps caught by De Villiers at third slip for two before Dale Steyn trapped Craig Cumming lbw for 12.
Former captain Stephen Fleming, batting with a dislocated thumb, was unbeaten on 22 with nightwatchman Bond nought not out at the other end.
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said he hoped a deteriorating pitch would work in his team's favour.
"There is decent weather forecast for the next two days and we're expecting the cracks to open up quite big and for the wicket to deteriorate," said Arthur.
"We think in the fourth innings the wicket will be at its worst."
SCOREBOARD
Day 1
South Africa
G Smith b Martin 1
H Gibbs c Flening b Martin 63
H Amla c McCullum b Bond 12
J Kallis c McCullum b O'Brien 29
A Prince c Fleming b Bond 1
AB de Villiers c Oram b Bond 33
M Boucher c Papps b Vettori 43
A Nel c McCullum b Bond 15
P Harris lbw b Vettori 3
D Steyn c McCullum b Martin 13
M Ntini not out 0
Extras (6lb, 1w, 6nb) 13
Total (all out, 74.3 overs) 226
Fall: 1 20 73 92 141 162 182 195 219
Bowling: Bond 17-1-73-4 (1w, 3nb), Martin 17.3-3-67-3, Oram 12-3-31-0, O'Brien 10-4-23-1, Vettori 18-6-26-2 (3nb).
New Zealand
C Cumming lbw b Steyn 12
M Papps c de Villiers b Ntini 2
S Fleming not out 22
S Bond not out 0
Extras (4lb, 1nb) 5
Total (for 2wkts, 13 overs) 41
Fall: 16 40
Bowling: Steyn 6-1-15-1, Ntini 4-2-10-1, Nel 3-0-12-0.
- REUTERS
