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Hamilton: South Africa ended a rain curtailed Day 1 at 27/2 after their bowlers ran amok and dismissed New Zealand to just 185. McCullum top scored for NZ with a fine fifty while Philander took 4 wickets.
From a highly promising 133 for two the home side lost five wickets for no runs in the space of 19 balls before being dismissed for 185 in their first innings on the first day at Seddon Park.
New Zealand at least had time to inflict some damage of their own, reducing South Africa to 27 for two by the close, with fast bowler Chris Martin removing skipper Graeme Smith for 13 to an outstanding diving catch to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk, who also accepted an offering from nightwatchman Dale Steyn.
Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla are set to resume tomorrow on eight and two respectively.
But today will be remembered for the ruthlessness shown by South Africa as they climbed back into the contest at a time when the New Zealanders looked in almost complete control.
Captain Ross Taylor and Brendon McCullum were threatening to guide the hosts to a substantial tally until their stand of 89 for the third wicket was broken via a McCullum hook shot which was gobbled up by Jacques Rudolph stationed in the deep behind square leg.
McCullum had used the shot sparingly but profitably in reaching 61 in more than three hours but he took up the challenge once too often, a rising delivery from fast bowler Steyn catching the top edge of the bat en route to Rudolph.
Taylor himself departed in the very next over for 44, squirting a ball from Vernon Philander to his South African opposite Smith at first slip, and suddenly the slide was on.
Kane Williamson, Daniel Vettori and Doug Bracewell were all brushed aside for ducks as the Black Caps capitulated to 133 for seven, Williamson gloving another short ball from Steyn to Smith, Vettori being bowled by a gem of a delivery from Philander and Bracewell tickling one behind off the same bowler.
In his comeback test after an absence of more than three years Mark Gillespie swung the bat to make a highly entertaining 27 despite being stuck a painful blow on the left forearm by Steyn.
He and van Wyk showed commendable resolve to put on 43 for the eighth wicket, with Gillespie hitting three fours and two sixes in unorthodox fashion before being snapped up by Petersen, who hauled in an excellent catch at mid wicket off legspinner Imran Tahir.
In his second test innings, Van Wyk made 21 valuable runs before Morkel trapped him leg before wicket, a mode of dismissal Tahir used to remove Brent Arnel to close the innings.
New Zealand’s last eight wicket had tumbled for 52 runs in less than 13 overs after South Africa persisted with an attack based on intimidation.
The short, sharp ball was employed to devastating affect despite the benign nature of a Seddon Park pitch which had offered the tourists scant encouragement when they opted to field first under cloudy skies.
There was minimal sideways movement on offer even if the surface sported a green tinge although New Zealand openers Rob Nicol, who made two, and Martin Guptill, bowled off an inside edge for 22, both departed in the opening 20 overs.
McCullum, who was struck a nasty blow on the right hand by Morkel when he was on 23, and Taylor established themselves with care and were on top of things when rain forced the teams from the field just before 2pm with New Zealand on 94 for two.
The two batsmen settled in again once play resumed two hours later , with McCullum raising his 22nd test half-century by hooking Morkel for six over square leg before creaming the very next ball from the tall fast bowler for four through the covers.
Then McCullum hooked once too often and South Africa immediately went in for the kill.
Steyn got better as the day progressed to finish with figures of three for 49 off 18 overs while Philander had four for 70 off 15 and Tahir two for 12 off 5.2.
Brief scores
New Zealand 185 (McCullum 61, Philander 4-70, Steyn 3-49)
South Africa 27 for 2 (Martin 18-2)
Status South Africa trail by 158 runs
