Adam Parore: Small battles win the war

COMMENT

New Zealand's victory yesterday was built on winning the small battles and for that it's time to salute skipper Stephen Fleming.

If you break the test down, South Africa did not play as badly as the statistics suggest. But they lost because when it came to the clutch situations, the 50-50 moments when the game could have turned either way, New Zealand prevailed.

For me, one of those periods came late on the first day. New Zealand chose to field but the South African batsmen had got away on them. In that final period, however, they managed just 54 runs as Fleming battened down the hatches.

If he'd kept attacking, the runs would have come quicker and it's possible the game would have slipped out of reach. It was not sexy cricket, but it was undoubtedly vital in the overall context of the game.

Clearly the second morning was critical and Chris Martin gave a lesson in what classy swing bowling can achieve in helpful conditions, justifying his selection against South Africa's cluster of lefthanders.

Then the period of play late on Sunday, when Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph appeared to be pulling South Africa towards a position of safety, was decisive.

Fleming is a vastly experienced skipper who understands how to keep the opposition under pressure. He knows to use his bowlers to keep the batsmen thinking, keep them having to adjust their own game.

South Africa are led by a good young guy who doesn't see those things and now the heat is on Graeme Smith in the third test at the Basin Reserve starting on Friday.

Martin was brought in specifically for his ability to bowl to the lefties.

He caused problems in the republic in late 2000 and has now taken 22 wickets in four tests against the South Africans. He has become the go-to guy when the opposition has plenty of lefthanders in the top six.

He was brought into the one-day side against Sri Lanka in 2001 specifically to target aggressive lefthanded opener Sanath Jayasuriya, and it worked.

He brings a fresh edge to the New Zealand attack because he does his business through the air rather than off the pitch.

Jacob Oram hits the deck and moves it off the seam, Chris Cairns is a classic seam bowler, likewise Daryl Tuffey.

South Africa's problems are the same as during the one-day series. The batting is fine, but the bowling is impotent.

So should New Zealand shut down and make sure they don't lose at the Basin or - without being reckless - push on in the same vein and recognise that 2-0 looks better than 1-0?

I'd suggest New Zealand don't change a thing. The game plan is intact, the players are in prime form.

I've never been a big believer in setting out to draw. It means you are merely trying to keep pace with the opposition and all it takes is one bad session and you're in trouble. Far better to be endeavouring to dominate. South Africa have no option but to attack.

It should be entertaining, but unless there is a shift of seismic proportions in the next three days, New Zealand should be celebrating their first series win over South Africa next week.