Fri, Mar 17, 2017 page16

• Nicholls’ maiden century rescues NZ

  POSITIVE ENERGY: South Africa’s Duminy said the way Nicholls handled conditions at the Basin Reserve was a lesson for his team, where spinners have dominated

  • AFP, WELLINGTON
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  Henry Nicholls answered his critics with a maiden century to rescue New Zealand on a torrid first day for batsmen in the second Test against South Africa yesterday.

  New Zealand, on the back of Nicholls’ 118, recovered from 21 for three to be all out for 268 in Wellington. South Africa lost two wickets for 12 runs and moved on to 24 for two at stumps.

  The pressure was on Nicholls when he went to the middle with New Zealand three down and with his Test average of 30.12 from 18 innings putting his position as a No. 5 batsman under scrutiny.

  

  South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, second left, is embraced by teammates yesterday after taking a catch to dismiss New Zealand’s Neil Broom for a duck during the second Test at Wellington’s Basin Reserve cricket ground in New Zealand.

  Photo: AP

  “I was just trying to look to be positive and really decisive and that’s something that held me in good stead,” he said. “I took a bit of confidence even from the first Test in Dunedin. I wasn’t out there very long [12 off 26], but I felt very good out there and it was nice to continue that.”

  “There’s always going to be speculation about your spot, but I just tried to stay really clear in my mind and I’ve had great support [from the team] who kept reinforcing for me to go out there and play my game,” he said.

  JP Duminy, a batsman part-time spinner, who proved South Africa’s most effective bowler with four for 47, said Nicholls showed how to handle the conditions at Wellington’s Basin Reserve cricket ground.

  

  Sri Lanka’s Dilruwan Perera appeals during yesterday’s second Test game against Bangladesh at Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

  Photo: AFP

  “To play as positive as he did was probably the way to go on a surface like that. Hopefully we can take something out of that and get some success,” he said.

  With Keshav Maharaj striking twice, the South African spin pair took six wickets between them in conditions that favored seam and swing bowling.

  “It’s not a wicket you would think spinners will dominate on, but the plan and strategy we had to get wickets was a good one, to bowl a wider line,” Maharaj said.

  On a day in which 12 wickets fell, Nicholls played an innings of confident drives and cuts against the quicks and sure footwork against spin.

  In one notable over from Rabada, a central figure in the top order collapse, Nicholls smacked three fours.

  The second took him past his previous best 98 and to his breakthrough century, while the next four lifted his partnership with BJ Watling to 103 to better one of the longest-standing New Zealand cricket records.

  Australia, India

  AFP, RANCHI, India

  Under-fire skipper Steve Smith hit a gutsy unbeaten half century as Australia rallied against a persistent Indian bowling attack on the opening day of the third Test in Ranchi yesterday.

  The visitors were 194 for four at tea after electing to bat first in their 800th Test.

  Smith — seeking his second century of the series — has so far made 80 and Glenn Maxwell was unbeaten on 19 at India’s newest Test venue.

  Smith, accused by India of systematically abusing the decision review system (DRS) in the last Test, put on 51 runs for the fourth wicket with Peter Handscomb (19) after Australia lost three wickets in the morning.

  While Smith registered his 21st Test fifty with a single off fast bowler Umesh Yadav, Handscomb was trapped left before wicket off the very next delivery that reverse swung to hit his foot.

  Smith, who struck nine boundaries during an otherwise sedate knock, then hunkered down with Maxwell as the duo put on an unbeaten 54-run stand.

  Meanwhile India skipper Virat Kohli injured his right shoulder while fielding and went off the field in the 40th over, leaving Ajinkya Rahane to lead the side.

  S Lanka, Bangladesh

  AFP, COLOMBO

  Bangladesh were 214-5 in their first innings at stumps on the second day of their second Test against Sri Lanka yesterday at the Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo.

  Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 61, as Bangladesh made a strong start to their first innings before losing a flurry of wickets late in the day, leaving them still trailing the hosts by 124 runs.

  Left-arm spinner Lakshan Sandakan claimed 3-65 runs after Dinesh Chandimal made 138 for Sri Lanka in their first innings total of 338 runs.
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