South Africa lost four wickets in the final session as New Zealand took firm control on day 2 of the first Test at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui on Monday. 

Having bowled out New Zealand for 511, with skipper Neil Brand becoming the 25th South African bowler to take a five-wicket haul on debut, the tourists slumped to 80/4 at stumps, trailing the home team by 431 runs.

Brand, who had bowled 26 overs, can be forgiven for feeling a little tired, and his dismissal suggested as much as he looked to leave a ball from Kyle Jamieson outside his off stump, but the extra bounce from the lanky right arm seamer found the toe of the bat, giving wicketkeeper Tom Latham an easy catch. 

Raynard van Tonder lasted only two balls, with Jamieson exposing a flaw in the right hander’s technique that sees him over-balance against balls seaming into him, and trapping him lbw. 

Ed Moore had played some lovely shots in his innings of 23 but got into a tangle against a short ball from Matt Henry that saw him attempt to fend the ball, and it flew off the shoulder of the bat, with Devon Conway completing a good catch diving forward from cover. 

David Bedingham and Zubayr Hamza played confidently in a brief partnership though Bedingham had a slice of luck when he was dropped on 18 at deep backward square leg by Henry after an errant pull. 

Hamza wasn’t so lucky and was bowled off the arm and leg attempting to sweep Mitchell Santner for 22. Bedingham finished the day on 29 and will resume with Keegan Petersen on Tuesday, who was not out on two.

Rachin Ravindra top scored with 240, a highlight of the New Zealand innings, and a knock that underlined the class he showed in the ODI World Cup in India last year. His partnership of 232 for the third wicket with Kane Williamson provided the foundation for New Zealand’s massive first innings total.

South Africa will, however, draw some confidence from bowling New Zealand out, even if it took 144 overs to do so. It indicates a willingness to scrap on the one hand, but on the other that they may also have misread conditions, given Brand’s success. 

He picked up 6/119 in 26 overs and while most of them came with the home team’s batters playing attacking shots, the dismissal of Santner — New Zealand’s front-line spinner — with a delivery that ripped out of the rough and bowled the batter through the gate, will be cause for concern, given the Proteas have to bat last. 

Ruan de Swardt, who had both Williamson and Ravindra dropped on day one, eventually got his first Test wicket 35 minutes into the day’s play when he had Williamson caught by fellow debutant Tshepo Moreki for 118. 

Ravindra dominated through the afternoon as the Kiwis looked to press home the advantage and their aggressive mindset provided plenty of opportunities for the South Africans. 

Ravindra, having spent more than six hours at the crease in an innings packed with excellent shot-making that brought him 26 fours and three sixes, was bowled off his back leg, attempting to pull Brand.

There was lusty hitting from Glenn Phillips who made 39 off 42 balls and Henry, who scored 27 off 9 deliveries. 

Besides Brand, De Swardt was the other top performer for the Proteas with the ball, taking 2/61 in 29 overs, with his patient probing and accuracy deserving of more reward. 

South Africa will certainly be missing Dane Piedt’s spin and his absence grows ever stranger, given Shukri Conrad had specifically called him from the US to renew his Test career with the New Zealand tour in mind.