Steyn Delivers As South Africa Wrap Up 2-0 Series Win

Steyn Delivers As South Africa Wrap Up 2-0 Series Win

Dale Steyn (second left, partly obscured), said he would see off New Zealand with the new ball and promptly made good on his prediction

©REUTERS / Action Images

South Africa 525-8 dec. (du Plessis 137) beat
New Zealand 121 & 211 by an inns. and 193 runs
Second Test, Port Elizabeth
Scorecard | Day One | Day Two | Day Three
Report by John Pennington

Prior to the fourth day of this Test, Dale Steyn had offered the view that if South Africa could pick up one wicket with the old ball, he would be able to finish New Zealand with off with the new one in short order.

Jacques Kallis duly obliged by removing Dean Brownlie and Steyn delivered on his promise as South Africa dismissed New Zealand for 211 to complete an innings-and-193-run victory and with it the most comprehensive of 2-0 series wins.

Steyn finished with three for 48 as South Africa tore through New Zealand's lower order, taking the final five wickets for just eight runs in 34 balls with the new ball.

Steyn bowled BJ Watling for 63 with an immaculate delivery that beat the well-set batsman before clipping off stump, had Doug Bracewell well caught at slip by Alviro Petersen without scoring and he ended the game when Neil Wagner tried an ambitious hook shot only to edge through to AB de Villiers for four.

Just prior to that, Morne Morkel had finally got some reward for his efforts when Trent Boult was caught by Petersen, upper cutting the ball straight to the man at point - another case of application being put aside in favour of ambition.

New Zealand had slumped from 203 for five to 211 all out and in an all too familiar tale, once Watling was gone, so the rest followed.

His 63 occupied 117 balls and he hit 11 fours while Brownlie, who was also caught by de Villiers, made 53 in 141 deliveries but alarming as New Zealand's demise was, they were only ever delaying the inevitable given that South Africa had held a first-innings lead of 404 thanks to centuries from Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis and Dean Elgar's first visit to three figures in Test match whites.

New Zealand can point to the absence of players such as Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder as a factor in them failing to better the 121 they scored here in a first innings but South Africa still managed to demolish them missing Vernon Philander in this game and JP Duminy in both.

The One-Day Internationals are - thankfully - expected to be a more even contest and that three-match series begins in Paarl on Saturday (19th January).

© Cricket World 2013