Kane Williamson scored his second century of the match on day three of the first Test, leading New Zealand to a dominant position against a depleted South Africa team at Mount Maunganui. Williamson’s quickfire 109, along with contributions from other batsmen, propelled New Zealand to 179/4 in their second innings, extending their overall lead to 528 runs. Daryl Mitchell (11*) and Tom Blundell (5*) were at the crease, with New Zealand expected to declare early on Wednesday. South Africa had been dismissed for 162 in response to New Zealand’s first-innings total of 511. Despite having the option to enforce the follow-on, New Zealand chose to bat again, allowing Williamson to achieve a century in both innings of the same match for the first time in his career. Williamson’s aggressive innings, featuring 12 fours and a six, set the stage for New Zealand’s declaration plans. He was eventually stumped off the bowling of Proteas captain Neil Brand. New Zealand opener Tom Latham fell early, but a partnership of 92 between Williamson and Devon Conway (29) helped solidify their position. South Africa’s batting frailties were exposed as they lost their last six wickets for 82 runs in their first innings. Keegan Petersen top-scored with 45, while Matt Henry (3-31) and Mitchell Santner (3-34) were among the wicket-takers for New Zealand. With a formidable target set on a deteriorating pitch, New Zealand is poised to declare, leaving South Africa with a challenging task in the remaining days of the Test.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson scored his second century of the match on day three of the first Test against South Africa. His rapid innings of 109, along with contributions from other batsmen, helped New Zealand reach a commanding position, with a lead of 528 runs by the end of the day. South Africa, fielding a depleted side, had been dismissed for 162 in response to New Zealand’s first-innings total of 511. Despite having the option to enforce the follow-on, New Zealand chose to bat again, allowing Williamson to achieve a century in both innings of the same match for the first time. New Zealand is set to declare their innings early on the fourth day, leaving South Africa with a challenging target.
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Williamson’s second century extends NZ lead past 500 in 1st Test against SA
