In a historic achievement, Kane Williamson led the New Zealand team to a series victory over South Africa, marking the first time in 92 years of Test cricket that they have accomplished such a feat.
New Zealand clinched a comfortable seven-wicket win in the second and final Test against the South African team on their home turf. Under Tim Southee’s leadership, the Kiwis achieved a remarkable fourth-innings chase of 267 runs at Hamilton’s Seddon Park, securing a clean sweep with a 2-0 series victory. This marked New Zealand’s first-ever series win against the Proteas after 18 attempts.
Despite South Africa missing key players participating in the SA20 tournament back home, they fought hard to level the series but struggled to break through the resilient New Zealand batting order. In a severely depleted Proteas squad, the Black Caps capitalized on their experience, with several players holding more caps individually than the entire South African team.
The final day began with New Zealand at 40 for 1, with Tom Latham and Kane Williamson at the crease. However, an early setback occurred when Dane Piedt dismissed Latham, who scored 30 runs with five boundaries. Despite the pressure, Rachin Ravindra and Williamson steadied the ship with a 64-run partnership for the third wicket. Piedt struck again by dismissing Ravindra, but the home team stood firm at 117/3.
The pivotal moment came as Williamson and Will Young built an unbroken 152-run partnership for the fourth wicket during the chase. Williamson, former skipper and No. 3 batter, showcased his class by scoring an unbeaten 133 runs off 260 balls, including 12 boundaries and two sixes. This century marked his 32nd in Test cricket and his third in the red-ball series out of four innings. Will Young played a crucial supporting role, remaining unbeaten on 60 runs off 134 deliveries. With Kane Williamson hitting the winning runs, New Zealand made history in Hamilton with their first-ever 2-0 series triumph over South Africa.
New Zealand is set to welcome their trans-Tasman rivals, Australia, for a series comprising three T20Is and two Test matches. The T20Is are scheduled to kick off on February 21, Wednesday, at Wellington’s Sky Stadium. Kane Williamson is expected to captain the New Zealand side during the T20I series, while Tim Southee will take on the role of skipper for the Test series.
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