South Africa made New Zealand pay a heavy price for sending it into bat on the opening day of the second test Thursday, plundering 177-1 by tea at Eden Park.
Chris Cairns struck with the final ball before tea, removing Herschelle Gibbs for 80, to claim the only breakthrough in two sessions after Stephen Fleming won the toss and chose to bowl.
Cairns fired a delivery through the opener’s guard and shattered his stumps, ending a lively innings one ball after Gibbs had been dropped by Jacob Oram.
South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith was 88 not out at the interval and was due to be joined by Jacques Rudolph after the break.
Smith and Gibbs added to their record of prolific opening partnerships when they defied the New Zealand bowlers for four hours, punishing a lack of accuracy and rhythm.
The pair have three triple-century partnerships to their credit and seemed to be heading for another massive stand before Cairns ended their progress.
Gibbs faced 172 balls and hit 13 fours and a six in his best batting performance of the New Zealand summer.
Smith had taken his 88 runs from 179 balls with eight fours and a six and was approaching his seventh century in 23 tests when tea was taken.
Gibbs reached his 15th half century in 58 tests in 144 minutes from 140 balls. Smith’s 50 followed eight minutes later from 104 balls, their 100 partnership coming in 18 minutes more than two hours.
The matched started on a lightly grassed pitch promising movement for the seamers but the attack failed to exploit the conditions.
Smith flourished when the ball was pitched into his pads, taking many of his runs with well-timed shots through square leg or midwicket.
Gibbs had a wider range of shots, hitting the ball hard through cover and extra cover yet scoring consistently on both sides of the wicket. – Sapa-AP