South Africa's batsmen made a mockery of supposedly helpful bowling conditions to finish the weather-affected first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand on 2 for 136.
Alviro Petersen was on 44 and JP Duminy on a quickly-compiled 23 when umpires offered them the option of leaving the field in the murky gloom, with 21 overs remaining in the day's play at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Hashim Amla was the only wicket to fall after tea when his mistimed pull shot from a Mark Gillespie bouncer fell for wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk.
Amla, who did not add to his tea score of 63, was forced to wait for several minutes as umpires reviewed Gillespie's foot placement, with television replays suggesting his back foot was touching the line on the return crease, which would have meant a no-ball and Amla being recalled.
Third umpire Billy Doctrove upheld the decision, however, the second time he was forced to make a controversial ruling in the Proteas' innings.
Prior to tea, he affirmed a decision to give Proteas captain Graeme Smith out for 5 when he was adjudged to have got an inside edge to a Doug Bracewell delivery and was caught by van Wyk.
Smith initially stood his ground, walked down the pitch to talk with Petersen then asked for the decision to be reviewed.
Television replays showed clear daylight between his bat and the ball as it passed by, though microphones indicated some sort of sound and Doctrove upheld the decision.
Smith was shaking his head as he walked off the field.
The Black Caps failed to capitalise on the help that conditions offered after the pitch was covered for almost a week due to wet weather in Wellington.
They did not put any pressure on the Proteas batsmen, bowling wide of off-stump or too short allowing them to leave too many deliveries.
Such was captain Ross Taylor's desperation to upset the Proteas' rhythm before the tea break he introduced part-time medium pacer Dean Brownlie, who was belted for 20 runs from two overs.
Overnight rain had delayed the start of the match, with umpires deeming the ground unsuitable for play until 2:00pm (local time). The match had been scheduled to start at 10:30am
The Proteas only need to draw the match to seal the three-Test series after they won the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton by nine wickets.
Reuters
Tags: cricket, sport, new-zealand, south-africa First posted March 23, 2012 18:19:50
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