SA declare on 481 as du Plessis scores century

Innings South Africa 481 for 8 decl (du Plessis 112*, Duminy 88, Wagner 5-86) v New ZealandLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Faf du Plessis scored his first century in 17 innings since December 2014 as South Africa gave New Zealand a mountain to climb in the decider. Du Plessis was one of a quintet of batsmen to cross the fifty mark – only the second time all of South Africa’s top five had done so. Incidentally, the last time they achieved the feat was at the same ground, against India, in 2010.

New Zealand’s only consolation was that Neil Wagner claimed his fourth five-wicket haul on his first appearance at his former home ground. Wagner, who was born and schooled in Pretoria, has played against South Africa before but never at SuperSport Park. With family and friends in attendance, Wagner’s relentless short-ball strategy accounted for half the South African line-up but not his former schoolmate du Plessis.

While Wagner reaped the most reward, he was not the only member of the attack to ask questions of the opposition. New Zealand’s pace pack applied collective and sustained pressure but went largely luckless.

Trent Boult’s blistering new-ball spell should have brought some reward but he had yet to take a wicket in the match. He could have had one off the first ball of the morning, which nipped back into du Plessis and almost took out off stump. Later that over, Boult drew an …

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