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Wellington: Vernon Philander took six-81 to help South Africa dismiss New Zealand for 275 -- one run more than its follow-on target -- on the fourth day of the third Test Monday.
Philander stirred memories of cricket's distant past when reached his 50th Test wicket in only his seventh match, quicker than any player in 116 years. He passed the milestone more quickly than all but one player in the history of Tests.
South Africa raced to 75 without loss in 15 overs before stumps, with Alviro Petersen 38 not out and Graeme Smith on 34, to hold an overall led of 274 with 98 overs remaining on Tuesday's final day.
South Africa leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the second Test at Hamilton by nine wickets.
Philander's rush to 50 wickets emulated the feats of a much earlier era of Test cricket.
Charlie "Terror" Turner achieved the milestone feat in his sixth Test for Australia in 1888 and went on to take 101 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of 16.
Tom Richardson of England claimed his 50th wicket in his seventh Test in 1896 and Philander matched his mark on Monday, though in a much shorter timeframe.
Richardson took two years, 303 days to play seven Tests; Philander has done so in only four months. He has also maintained an average that challenges Turner's and those of the best players in the game.
He has taken 21 wickets in the current three-Test series against New Zealand at an average of 14 and 51 wickets in his career at only 13.8.
"Obviously, since I started things have been going my way and, I've said it before, bowling form is just like batting form and you've got to make it count," Philander said. "That's what I'm trying to do.
"It's good to claim accolades. It's difficult to compare things between now and 1888," he added. "I'm glad for this achievement and hopefully I can just go from strength to strength and be good for the team."
Philander bowled Doug Bracewell for a duck to claim his 50th Test wicket and also to fill out the sixth five-wicket bag of his career, then went on to dismiss Mark Gillespie for 10 to end New Zealand's innings and give South Africa a 199-run first innings lead.
Gillespie edged a short ball over slips for four, then French cut the next ball to the boundary to edge New Zealand past the follow-on total just before its innings ended.
Philander dismissed New Zealand openers Martin Guptill for 59 and Daniel Flynn for 45 in the morning session, breaking their defiant first wicket partnership of 86. He then cut through the middle and lower order with the second new ball as New Zealand's last six wickets fell for 56 runs.
"It was a good effort from the bowling unit and you need other guys to set it up for you," Philander said. "That gives me the freedom to strike.
New Zealand was impeded in its first innings by the loss of its captain Ross Taylor with a broken wrist. Taylor was forced to retire hurt when he was 18 and New Zealand 160-3.
He was struck on the left wrist by a sharply rising delivery from Morne Morkel and received lengthy medical treatment on the field. Taylor batted on for one ball, scoring one more run, before he left the ground and was taken to Wellington Hospital treatment.
Scans confirmed a broken wrist and he won't bat again in the match, nor is he likely to take up his lucrative Indian Premier League contract next month.
Kane Williamson and Dean Brownlie put on 74 runs for New Zealand's fourth wicket after Taylor's retirement, but the innings unravelled from that point in the face of Philander's accuracy.
South Africa is now in a strong position to declare early on the final day and to give Philander a further shot at New Zealand's batting line-up, depleted by Taylor's loss.
Brief scores
South Africa 474 for 9 dec & 75 for 0 (Petersen 38*, Smith 34*)
New Zealand 275 (Guptill 59, Philander 6-81)
Status South Africa lead by 274 runs
