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New Zealand 232 for 5 (Watling 31*, Franklin 0*) and 45 trail South Africa 347 for 8 dec by 70 runs
New Zealand have not only shown determination, in Dean Brownlie's case they have shown improvement © Getty Images
Dean Brownlie, a New Zealand batsman trying to make a name for himself, must have reached a maiden Test century like this one in his dreams. He skipped down the pitch without a care in the world to the left-arm spin of Robin Peterson and deposited him over long on for six. The catch was held in the crowd by a small boy who watched himself on the big screen and enjoyed the moment almost as much as Brownlie himself.
That was the dream sequence; with the second new ball came the wake-up call. Graeme Smith summoned it at Newlands with an air of desperation with the lunch interval on the third morning at Newlands only minutes away and his decision came up trumps as Morne Morkel banged the fourth delivery in short of a length, Brownlie went for the cut as he had so often, but the extra bounce deceived him and he holed out to Peterson, stationed for that very eventuality at deep backward point.
It felt like a naïve dismissal, brought about by good captaincy, but Brownlie deserved only good memories. The confident manner in which he achieved that maiden Test century brought a celebratory dash to a mettlesome innings that had sent New Zealand's mood soaring and extended South Africa's frustration deep into the morning. Their commanding first-innings lead of 302 had been whittled down to 70 by lunch.
The second new ball could not come soon enough for South Africa, whose fast-bowling quartet had looked distinctly less formidable than it had on the opening morning when New Zealand were swept away within 19.2 overs. They had time for two overs with it before lunch - one each for Morkel and Dale Steyn - but Brownlie's wicket had left them only one wicket away from the tail.
The majority of wickets to fall in this Test had tumbled in the first session, but on this occasion there were few alarms. Brownlie preferred to combat Peterson's left-arm spin on the back foot and even on a pitch offering little turn it got him into a tangle on occasions, but Steyn and Morkel's natural length was too short to take advantage of the uneven bounce available on a fullish length and Vernon Philander was also seen off with relative comfort.
At least show us some determination was the cry from New Zealand after they had watched their side shot out for 45 by South Africa at the start of a new year. They have not only shown determination, in Brownlie's case they have shown improvement.
Brownlie's first Test hundred, in his eighth Test was a characterful one - a dashing start as he peppered the boundary square on the off side, dropped twice on 23, a more cautious outlook against the old ball as he resumed on 69, with lots of swaying and leaving on the back foot, and finally a leap through the 90s with two sixes in consecutive overs against Peterson - the first of them a long hop that he hauled over midwicket.
BJ Watling supported him in restrained fashion, making only 21 in a circumspect session in which New Zealand ground out 63 in 30 overs on a pitch lacking the pace of the first day.
New Zealand have not only shown determination, in Dean Brownlie's case they have shown improvement © Getty Images
Dean Brownlie, a New Zealand batsman trying to make a name for himself, must have reached a maiden Test century like this one in his dreams. He skipped down the pitch without a care in the world to the left-arm spin of Robin Peterson and deposited him over long on for six. The catch was held in the crowd by a small boy who watched himself on the big screen and enjoyed the moment almost as much as Brownlie himself.
That was the dream sequence; with the second new ball came the wake-up call. Graeme Smith summoned it at Newlands with an air of desperation with the lunch interval on the third morning at Newlands only minutes away and his decision came up trumps as Morne Morkel banged the fourth delivery in short of a length, Brownlie went for the cut as he had so often, but the extra bounce deceived him and he holed out to Peterson, stationed for that very eventuality at deep backward point.
It felt like a naïve dismissal, brought about by good captaincy, but Brownlie deserved only good memories. The confident manner in which he achieved that maiden Test century brought a celebratory dash to a mettlesome innings that had sent New Zealand's mood soaring and extended South Africa's frustration deep into the morning. Their commanding first-innings lead of 302 had been whittled down to 70 by lunch.
The second new ball could not come soon enough for South Africa, whose fast-bowling quartet had looked distinctly less formidable than it had on the opening morning when New Zealand were swept away within 19.2 overs. They had time for two overs with it before lunch - one each for Morkel and Dale Steyn - but Brownlie's wicket had left them only one wicket away from the tail.
The majority of wickets to fall in this Test had tumbled in the first session, but on this occasion there were few alarms. Brownlie preferred to combat Peterson's left-arm spin on the back foot and even on a pitch offering little turn it got him into a tangle on occasions, but Steyn and Morkel's natural length was too short to take advantage of the uneven bounce available on a fullish length and Vernon Philander was also seen off with relative comfort.
At least show us some determination was the cry from New Zealand after they had watched their side shot out for 45 by South Africa at the start of a new year. They have not only shown determination, in Brownlie's case they have shown improvement.
Brownlie's first Test hundred, in his eighth Test was a characterful one - a dashing start as he peppered the boundary square on the off side, dropped twice on 23, a more cautious outlook against the old ball as he resumed on 69, with lots of swaying and leaving on the back foot, and finally a leap through the 90s with two sixes in consecutive overs against Peterson - the first of them a long hop that he hauled over midwicket.
BJ Watling supported him in restrained fashion, making only 21 in a circumspect session in which New Zealand ground out 63 in 30 overs on a pitch lacking the pace of the first day.