Cricket: Seamers in charge for South Africa

New Zealand 130 for 8

v South Africa Steven Jack marked his Test debut with two wickets and a catch as South Africa's seamers destroyed New Zealand on the opening day of the second Test in Durban yesterday.

Jack captured two for 14 in 10 overs, including the crucial wicket of Martin Crowe, and there were three wickets apiece for Fanie de Villiers and Brian McMillan, which reduced New Zealand to 130 for 8 when bad light ended play early.

After Ken Rutherford had won the toss and elected to bat New Zealand quickly ran into trouble, losing their first two wickets for 19, but had recovered to 56 for 2 at lunch. The collapse began off the last ball of the second over after the interval when Crowe, three short of equalling John Wright's New Zealand record of 5,334 runs in Tests, mishooked a short ball from Jack to de Villiers at long-leg.

It was a second wicket for Jack, who had got his Test career off to an excellent start by bowling Bryan Young for two and then taking the catch at long-leg to remove Steven Fleming for four.

Rutherford then fell without scoring when he attempted to pull de Villiers but instead scooped a catch to John Commins, like Jack making his Test debut, at mid-wicket. Then Darrin Murray, who had battled for 160 minutes for 38, got an edge behind to DaveRichardson to give de Villiers his third wicket.

When McMillan replaced de Villiers he responded with a spell of three for 14 in five overs. Adam Parore popped up a catch to Gary Kirsten at short leg, a flat-footed Matthew Hart poked a thick edge to Hansie Cronje in the gulley and Simon Doull gave Richardson his second victim of the day.

Shane Thomson alone took on the bowlers successfully, hitting nine fours and one six, including 26 runs off two overs from de Villiers, as he reached 53 not out from 54 balls.

(First day: New Zealand won toss)

NEW ZEALAND - First Innings B A Young b Jack 2

D J Murray c Richardson b de Villiers 38

S P Fleming c Jack b de Villiers 4

M D Crowe c de Villiers b Jack 18

*K R Rutherford c Commins b de Villiers 0

S A Thomson not out 53

A C Parore c Kirsten b McMillan 5

M Hart c Cronje b McMillan 5

S B Doull c Richardson b McMillan 0

D K Morrison not out 0

Extras (lb4 nb1) 5

Total (for 8) 130

Fall: 1-9 2-19 3-62 4-65 5-66 6-102 7-114 8-114.

To bat: C Pringle.

Bowling: de Villiers 16-5-51-3 (1nb); Jack 10-4-14-2; Matthews 14-9-23-0; McMillan 11-1-35-3; Cronje 1-0-3-0.

SOUTH AFRICA: A C Hudson, G Kirsten, J B Commins, D J Cullinan, *W J Cronje, J N Rhodes, B M McMillan, D J Richardson, C R Matthews, P S de Villiers, S D Jack.