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Ellyse Perry made a half-century before seamer Maitlan Brown inspired a stirring fightback, as Sydney Sixers revived their WBBL season with a tense win over Melbourne Renegades at the Junction Oval.Defending 164, the winless Sixers were staring down the barrel of their fourth straight defeat when Renegades openers Tammy Beaumont and Hayley Matthews blazed a rapid half-century stand.Beaumont was in a belligerent mood as she smashed three boundaries off seamer Jess Kerr in the first over. Matthews was intent on feeding Beaumont the strike, but it led to her dismissal after she hit a slower ball from Brown to midwicket after trying to poke onto the leg-side.Brown then dismissed Beaumont in the game-changing seventh over with a short-pitched delivery as Sixers’ confidence grew and they tore through Renegades’ middle-order.But there was a late twist when Georgia Wareham and Sarah Coyte clubbed 26 runs off the 18th over and it came down to the final over with Renegades needing 13 runs for a remarkable victory.But offspinner Ashleigh Gardner kept her cool at the death and Sixers, last season’s finalists, should feel relieved having been the last team in the competition to register a victory.With three consecutive defeats, Sixers’ woes have been compounded by a season-ending finger injury to star wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy after she was accidentally bitten by her dog.Without the formidable Healy, Sixers’ top-order have struggled in the powerplay and they looked to out of form opener Suzie Bates to turn their fortunes around after electing to bat.Bates started well and hit an attractive cover drive to the boundary off seamer Georgia Prestwidge as she reached double figures for the first time this season.But Bates frustratingly fell in the next over when she was unable to clear the in-field and hit offspinner Matthews to mid-off. Shackled by Matthews’ accuracy, Sixers once again didn’t make the most of the powerplay but unlike previous games they had most of their wickets intact.Perry and Gardner combined for a 68-run partnership to lay a platform for Sixers. Gardner used her feet effectively against legspinner Wareham, while Perry continued her strong start to the season by targeting midwicket to devastating effect as she notched a half-century.Renegades didn’t help their cause with a ragged effort in the field marked by sloppy fielding in the deep leading to several boundaries. But they clawed back with the wickets of Gardner and Perry as Sixers were in danger of a below par score on a batting friendly surface.Renegades were left to rue a missed stumping by wicketkeeper Josie Dooley when Chloe Tryon was on 12 and she made them pay immediately with a six off Wareham.Unleashing baseball-style clubbing, Tryon gave Sixers a desperately needed late spur with a trio of sixes in the final over to cap her breezy 41 off 16 balls.It lifted Sixers to a solid total which they ultimately defended to claim a morale boosting win.

The captains of Bangladesh and New Zealand couldn’t be more different. Tim Southee is a 94-Test veteran who is in the same stature as the best fast bowlers in his country. Najmul Hossain Shanto, meanwhile, has just completed his first 12 months of consistent form.Southee, who made his debut in 2008, has been the New Zealand captain from his 89th Test, since December last year. Shanto is the Bangladesh captain in his fifth year, after playing just 23 Tests.Related

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Their outlook for the World Test Championship is also, predictably, quite different.Southee wants to build the new cycle on his side’s experience – particularly with the first series being in Bangladesh – from their time spent in the subcontinent in recent years. New Zealand have packed their side with five spinners, although Southee believes that they are facing a stiff challenge against the home side.”It is foreign conditions compared to New Zealand,” Southee said. “Pace plays a big role in New Zealand. Spin historically plays a big role in this part of the world. Our spinners have done some great things in Tests. We are looking forward to them showcasing their skills. It won’t be easy to just get the (WTC) points. We know that Bangladesh are a great side in these conditions. I would imagine a hard-fought Test series.”It is a different role than what we are used to back in New Zealand. We have three seamers here that offer different strengths. It is a collective bowling unit wherever you play in the world. Everyone chips in different ways. Spin doesn’t play a big part in New Zealand but they will play a bigger role in Bangladesh.”Over at Bangladesh’s pre-match press conference, Shanto had to field questions about his impending captaincy debut in this format. He has led Bangladesh in three ODIs since September, including two matches at the recent World Cup. He got the role this time after the regular Test captain Shakib Al Hasan (finger injury) and his deputy Litton Das (paternal leave) both were forced to miss the series.”It is hard to pinpoint what I learned from those two games (in the World Cup),” he said. “It was a different format, too. I figured out small things like how to handle certain things in different situations. New Zealand is a good team. They are strong. They will be challenging in the Test series. But since we are playing at home, we should be able to challenge them with our spinners and batters. If things go to plan, we can beat this team.”Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has a close look at the Sylhet surface•BCB

Shanto also believed a Bangladesh captain should be ideally appointed with a long-term focus.”It helps to plan better,” he said. “I hope the board also considers a long-term captain. But I don’t think the players are thinking too much about this. A captain will perform his duty. A team always does well when everyone does their particular work.”Southee, meanwhile, spoke about how he intends to use the side’s recent experience of playing in India in the World Cup, and even their two-Test series in Pakistan at the start of the year, to good use in Bangladesh.”We took a little look at the (Sylhet) wicket. There hasn’t be a lot of Test matches here. So there’s not a lot of information and statistics to go back on. I think we are expecting a pretty good surface. Of course spin will play a part in the match. We played in Pakistan earlier this year. The guys now have a lot of experience in the subcontinent.”I think we will have a closer look at the wicket. There will be some assistance in the morning. It is what you get when you play at this time of the year. We have been training little bit early. So the wickets have been good in training.”Shanto said he was confident that Bangladesh’s batters can bounce back after a poor World Cup. He said that the likes of Mominul Haque, Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Zakir Hasan, who were playing domestic first-class cricket recently, will be free of the World Cup burden too.”Zakir (Hasan), (Mahmudul Hasan) Joy and (Mominul Haque) Sourav played well in this season’s NCL. They have made runs in this tournament. I played one game (after the World Cup). We obviously had a tough time but it was a different format. We are playing Tests now. We want to continue from where we left off from the Afghanistan Test in June.”

Stumps Marnus Labuschagne survived a thorough examination from a new-look Pakistan pace attack on a tough MCG surface as Australia finished a truncated opening day strongly in the Boxing Day Test.As had been forecast, bad weather gripped Melbourne in the afternoon with play stopped for almost three hours before restarting late in the day. Only 66 overs were bowled all day, but Australia lost just one wicket in the final session to move into a favourable position.Labuschagne and Steven Smith thwarted Pakistan after the resumption as batting appeared to get easier in sunny conditions. They added 46 off 147 balls to frustrate Pakistan until Smith was caught behind off Aamer Jamal, with replays confirming a faint edge after it was originally deemed not out and Pakistan reviewed.Related

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Smith had moments earlier been given out lbw after being trapped by Shaheen Shah Afridi, but the decision was overturned on review.It deprived Afridi of his first wicket in the match on the back of figures of 2 for 172 in the series-opener. Like in Perth, Afridi struggled for top pace – it has been a bane for him in recent times.Labuschagne, who entered averaging a modest 35 this year, was made to work and by stumps had closed in on his half-century having faced 120 deliveries.Travis Head finished on 9 not out having survived a nervous moment in the last over when he edged offspinner Salman Agha but captain Shan Masood couldn’t hold on to a tough chance.After Pakistan copped a 360-run pummelling in the first Test on a spicy surface in Perth, their rejigged pace attack fought back from a wayward opening session with Afridi and recalled seamer Hasan Ali mustering an inspired spell after lunch in gloomy conditions.Hasan Ali was in good rhythm and was rewarded with Usman Khawaja’s wicket•Getty Images

Hasan justified his selection and was rewarded by having opener Usman Khawaja caught at second slip for 42 with a delivery that zipped off the wicket.He bowled in sync with Afridi, who threatened by bowling across right-hand batters Labuschagne and Smith and he occasionally made the ball jump off the pitch.Their sustained bowling on a good length forced Labuschagne and Smith to be in survival mode. With black clouds hanging over the ground, Labuschagne was clearly displeased about play continuing despite the light towers being switched on.But rain finally fell to give Australia respite, who only scored 24 runs in 15 overs after lunch.Hasan was one of three changes for Pakistan, who opted to again field an all-out pace attack with left-armer Mir Hamza also selected. They replaced injured seamer Khurram Shahzad and allrounder Faheem Ashraf, who was dropped, while offspinner Sajid Khan was overlooked. Mohammad Rizwan returned as wicketkeeper and took the place of Sarfaraz Ahmed, who had been contentiously preferred in Perth.Pakistan could have had a breakthrough in the third over itself, but Abdullah Shafique dropped David Warner in the slips•AFP/Getty Images

Australia named an unchanged line-up as they looked to wrap up the series and claim a 16th straight victory on home soil over Pakistan.Masood had no hesitation to bowl with the MCG in recent Test matches having heavily favoured pace bowling. Australia captain Pat Cummins said he also would have bowled first on a pitch with six to seven millimetres of grass.Pakistan needed early inroads for a confidence boost, but they started disastrously when opener David Warner was given a life on two after a horrific dropped catch at first slip by Abdullah Shafique. Afridi bowled a gem of a delivery on a length that moved away to catch the edge of a tentative Warner only for Shafique to drop a simple chance that went slowly to his left.Pakistan’s spirit dropped despite an encouraging new-ball spell from Hamza. Having taken just two wickets in three previous Test matches, Hamza didn’t bowl quickly but impressed by nipping the ball both ways, including bowling several menacing late inswinging yorkers.But Pakistan’s bowlers weren’t able to consistently hit the right areas as Khawaja and Warner built a 90-run partnership.There was plenty of support for Pakistan among the 62,000 that turned up at MCG•Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

Much like the build-up in Perth, Khawaja came into the match under the microscope after the ICC denied his application to display a logo to raise awareness of humanitarian issues.But he battled calmly as Australia closed in on a wicketless opening session for the second straight Test match until Warner fell to Salman in the last over before lunch.In the penultimate match of his illustrious Test career, Warner on 38 drove loosely to be caught at slip and Pakistan continued their momentum after the break.But Labuschagne proved a thorn before and after the rain break as he hoped to finish a lean year in Test cricket on a high. All eyes will continue to be on Melbourne’s infamously fickle weather with rain and potential thunderstorms again forecast on day two.A crowd of 62,000 fans attended the biggest date of the Australian cricket summer in a figure that surpassed the entire attendance over four days for the rebranded Perth Test.

Zimbabwe will host India for a five-match T20I series in July, a week after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. All five games will be played in Harare, from July 6 to 14. Four of the five T20Is will be day games, starting at 1pm local time. The third T20I, the only night match, will begin at 6pm.”We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting India for a T20I series in July in what will be our biggest international attraction at home this year,” Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said in a press release. “The significance and magnitude of this tour cannot be over-emphasised, especially as it is coming at a time we are working round the clock to re-establish ourselves as a force to reckon with at the highest level of the game.”India last toured Zimbabwe for three ODIs in August 2022, when they won 3-0. Since then, the two sides have met only once across formats, at the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year.Overall, the two teams have played eight T20Is each other, with India winning six of them.Zimbabwe could not qualify for this year’s T20 World Cup even though as many as 20 teams will participate for the first time in the tournament. Before that, they had failed to make the cut for the 2023 ODI World Cup as well.

Fixtures

July 6: 1st T20I
July 7: 2nd T20I
July 10: 3rd T20I
July 13: 4th T20I
July 14: 5th T20I

Daniel Bell-Drummond hit an elegant 70 as Kent reached 113 for 3 on day one of their Vitality County Championship with Surrey at Canterbury.The in-form Kent skipper put on a stand of exactly 100 for the third wicket with Jack Leaning, who was 30 not out at stumps, after rain wiped out all but 11 balls of the first two sessions at the Spitfire Ground.Dan Worrall took 2 for 33 to reduce Kent to 8 for 2 in the sixth over, but Surrey went 30 overs without a wicket before Tom Lawes broke the partnership when he had Bell-Drummond lbw shortly before the close.The Kent and England legend Derek Underwood, who passed away on Monday aged 78, was honoured before the start of play, with both sets of players standing in front of the Underwood & Knott stand for a minute’s silence. Black armbands were worn and a moment was also taken to remember Raman Subba Row of Surrey, who died on Wednesday at the age of 92.It was a bitterly cold day for the die-hards at the St. Lawrence and the weather wiped out 57 overs before conditions finally improved, or at least got less damp, late in the afternoon.The visitors, who had do without Jamie Overton due to a back injury, won the toss and chose to bowl, but the start had already been delayed until 1.25pm and they managed just 11 deliveries before bad light forced them off again, the wind at that point being too strong for the floodlights to be used.When play eventually resumed at 4.15pm, Surrey struck early. Zak Crawley’s first Kent appearance of the season saw him make just 5 before Worrall had him caught by Jamie Smith at third slip and in his next over he trapped Ben Compton lbw for three.The partnership Kent urgently needed came when Leaning joined Bell-Drummond and they batted the home side into calmer waters.Bell-Drummond, who already has two centuries this season, punched Worrall for four through cover to bring up his 50, but he fell in the third-last over of the day when he was trapped leg before by Lawes. Night-watcher George Garrett was unbeaten on one at stumps.

Ellyse Perry will captain Birmingham Phoenix in the Women’s Hundred this season, taking up the role she was set to fulfil last summer before being ruled out through injury.The allrounder has played just one season of the Hundred, in 2022, scoring 134 runs in six matches. Phoenix’s plans to build a team around her in 2023 were scuppered when Cricket Australia ruled Perry out after she damaged her left knee in a preceding ODI series against Ireland.Eve Jones deputised as captain, but Phoenix failed to win a match, losing seven out of eight to finish bottom of the table. Perry and fellow overseas star Sophie Devine were among seven players retained by Phoenix in March’s draft.Related

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Perry’s return to Edgbaston is as much a boost for the Hundred as for her team. The 33-year-old is one of the most high-profile players in the sport with 314 caps for her country across an international career in its 18th year.She was the leading run-scorer in this season’s WPL, scoring 347 runs at 69.40 while also taking seven wickets for eventual winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Perry also has a wealth of leadership experience with Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League, where she became the first player to captain 100 WBBL matches.”I’m incredibly honoured to be named Birmingham Phoenix captain,” Perry said. “It is a wonderful club which means a lot to me. It was really disappointing to miss out on joining the group last season so I’m really excited to be back this year.”I’m looking forward to joining the whole playing squad, both our existing and new players to work towards a really successful season for the Phoenix.”Elsewhere, defending women’s champions Southern Brave have announced Georgia Adams as their new captain following Anya Shrubsole’s retirement. Shrubsole signed off by helping Brave break their duck as losing finalists in the first two editions, thanks in part to Adams, who led the competition with 16 wickets.Adams is captain of Southern Vipers, the domestic women’s side who are also based at the Utilita Bowl. Last year, she achieved the double of winning the 50-over Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Twenty20 Charlotte Edwards Cup.”It’s a privilege to be taking over from Anya who was an amazing captain and someone the whole team looked up to,” Adams said. “I’m super excited to get going and really looking forward to leading a fantastic group of players and trying to defend the trophy.”Brave also confirmed James Vince will continue to lead their side in the Men’s Hundred, having guided the team to success in the inaugural 2021 season.

Marizanne Kapp has likened leaving Dane van Niekerk out of South Africa’s T20 World Cup side to ripping Meg Lanning out of the Australia team.As the hosts prepare for a must-win clash with the Australians at her home ground of St George’s Park on Saturday night, Kapp called on South Africa’s senior players to step up against the title favourites. But she believed the absence of van Niekerk – also her wife – left a hole in the team.”If you ask anyone, they’re going to lie if they say no,” Kapp told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s like taking a Meg Lanning out of the Australian team. She is definitely missed but I think the girls have been coping well and now it’s up to the seniors to put up their hands.”This past year has been extremely tough for Dane. She’s really been struggling, she’s been working hard and to miss out at the end there, by that close, it really hurts her. She took her time to try and get over it. It still hurts, I know when I speak to her it still hurts but I think she’s been coping well. It’s been helping that she’s been commentating so you kind of still feel like she’s involved in the World Cup. Luckily now with the WPL, she got to a gig there so I think for her confidence that would be good if she just gets on the park again.”It has been a turbulent time for Kapp after van Niekerk was left out of the World Cup squad for failing the 2km time trial element of the selection criteria while attempting a comeback from a broken ankle suffered more than a year ago. Kapp took leave from the team during their tri-series final against India to return home and rejoined the squad ahead of the World Cup, where van Niekerk is now working as a commentator.”It’s been difficult, I’m not going to lie,” Kapp said. “But I think it was for all the girls. You never want distractions in and around your team, especially heading into a big tournament like this. I was a bit annoyed with the whole situation and all of that just because I felt like it probably could have got dealt with a bit earlier and not in the middle of a series, that’s why I went home. But that’s the past now and we’re moving on. We’ve not been at our best but we’ve been sticking together as a team and I guess that’s sport and that’s life so you just have to carry on and we have a job to do.”‘We’re still not near playing our best cricket so hopefully we keep on improving’•ICC/Getty Images

On top of all that was the WPL auction. Kapp is heading to Delhi Capitals for 1.5 crore (USD 183,000 approx) and van Niekerk picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for her base price of 30 lakh (USD 37,000 approx). Then followed the announcement of retentions for the Women’s Hundred, where Oval Invincibles kept hold of Kapp but not van Niekerk, who has now registered for the draft.Moreover, Kapp has been battling illness which prevented her from training after Monday’s win until Friday. But she had a solid hit out in the nets and a bowl on the eve of the Saturday fixture. With her hometown of Gqeberha having never hosted a women’s international, Kapp said she was determined to play.”It’s going to be very special for me personally,” she said. “I’ve always nagged them that I want to at least play one game at home before I retire one day, so it’s a big day and hopefully there’s quite a few people coming out tomorrow so I’m really excited.”Tomorrow might be a bit of a struggle, but I’m hoping to go out there and play. The girls have been preparing really well. So we know what we have to do tomorrow. It’s a big game for us as a team and then for me personally. I wouldn’t want to miss tomorrow, that’s why I came out today to train and see how I feel, but definitely up for the challenge.”South Africa were on the back foot after losing the first game of the tournament against Sri Lanka, who now sit second behind Australia in group A with one more game, against New Zealand on Sunday, to play. South Africa face Bangladesh in the final match of the group stage, after which Sri Lanka, New Zealand and South Africa could potentially all be locked on four points behind Australia. New Zealand, who were thumped by Australia and South Africa, defeated Bangladesh on Friday to give themselves hope, although the margin of their first two defeats hit their net run rate significantly.”We were just so annoyed with ourselves,” Kapp said about losing the first game. “If I’m being honest, we were probably a bit laid back going into that Sri Lanka game, especially after winning that tri-series. You don’t go out there to not perform well, but I think it was just a bit of a wake-up call for us and we kind of rocked up to the World Cup a bit later and now we kind of have to pay for that. Luckily we brought it back in that second game. We’re still not near playing our best cricket so hopefully we keep on improving.”South Africa have never beaten Australia in a T20I and Lanning’s side are undefeated at this tournament. But Kapp dismissed that record, saying “tomorrow’s a new day”. The last time the sides met in the format was at the previous edition of this tournament, in their rain-affected semi-final which eventual champions Australia won by five runs.Shelley Nitschke, Australia’s head coach, said: “They have nothing to lose, so we expect them to throw everything at us and we need to make sure we’re ready. They’ve got some really damaging players, both with bat and ball, that can take a game away from us and they have the support of the home crowd, so we need to make sure we are on our game.”

Queensland’s Sheffield Shield final hopes have all but been extinguished in their final-round match after Tasmania captain Jordan Silk posted an unbeaten century to put the game almost beyond reach.The Bulls ended the third day trailing by a near-insurmountable 431 runs as Tasmania eased their way to 5 for 252 against an injury-hit bowling attack at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval.Queensland surrendered a 179-run deficit on the first innings despite some impressive scoring from their tail-enders and some heroics from injured fast bowler Mark Steketee.The lower-order run-scoring became a game within a game with Queensland needing to reach 303 in their first innings to earn more bonus points than fellow Shield final aspirant Victoria. Bonus points would decide who faces Western Australia in the Shield final should Queensland and Victoria secure the same result in their respective matches.Despite resuming at a shaky 180 for 6, Queensland ultimately fell agonisingly short with No.11 Liam Guthrie adjudged lbw to end the innings on 300.The Bulls had looked to have no chance of reaching 303 when Max Bryant fell for an impressive 84, his highest first-class score, with Iain Carlisle picking up his maiden Shield scalp. But the tail rallied with Steketee, who has been ruled out of bowling since day one with a hip injury, scoring 43 not out and Jack Sinfield making 29. Guthrie also contributed 16 but was trapped lbw by Jackson Bird, who finished with 3 for 72.Tasmania stumbled out of the blocks in their second innings, slipping to 29 for 2 with Tim Ward and Jake Doran both falling cheaply.But Silk led the way with an unbeaten 101, sharing in a 111-run stand for the fifth wicket with first-innings centurion Beau Webster. There were also contributions from Caleb Jewell and Mac Wright against the weary Bulls attack.

Mohsin Khan missed the first half of IPL 2023 with a shoulder injury. In fact, Lucknow Super Giants’ head coach Andy Flower had “written him off” for the season. Still, LSG didn’t release him and bring in a replacement player.On Tuesday night, Mohsin repaid that trust. Chasing 178 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Mumbai Indians needed 11 from the final over with Tim David and Cameron Green in the middle. Mohsin, though, denied Mumbai’s big-hitters. Bowling a mix of hard lengths and wide yorkers, he conceded only five to take LSG closer to the playoffs.Earlier, Marcus Stoinis scored an unbeaten 89 off 47 balls – his highest IPL score – to lift LSG to a competitive total on what looked like a difficult pitch to bat on. After being sent in, LSG lost three early wickets, but Stoinis and Krunal Pandya revived the innings before Stoinis went berserk at the death. He smashed 44 off his last 12 deliveries.Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma started the chase at a rapid pace, adding 90 in 9.4 overs, but Ravi Bishnoi dismissed both to give LSG an opening. With Suryakumar Yadav getting out cheaply – scooping one onto his stumps – and Nehal Wadhera struggling, the home team were suddenly favourites.Mumbai needed 30 from the last two overs. David hit Naveen-ul-Haq for two sixes to reduce it to 11 from six balls, but Mohsin’s excellent over sealed a crucial win for LSG.Marcus Stoinis made his highest score in the IPL•AFP/Getty Images

Behrendorff gives MI early wickets

With LSG bringing in Naveen for Kyle Mayers, it was Deepak Hooda who opened the innings with Quinton de Kock. But the move didn’t work. After being dropped off Chris Jordan in the second over of the innings, Hooda charged Jason Behrendorff in the next over. It turned out to be a slower one and Hooda mis-timed it to David at mid-on. Prerak Mankad then bagged a first-ball duck, edging Behrendorff to Kishan.De Kock and Krunal took the side to 35 for 2 at the end of the powerplay, before Piyush Chawla had de Kock caught behind off a googly. It was the fourth time this IPL that Chawla had picked up a wicket with his first ball of the match.

Stoinis and Krunal revive LSG

Stoinis and Krunal then took control of the innings. The pair used the dimensions of the ground to their advantage: Stoinis targeted the short boundary, and Krunal placed the ball in long pockets to pick up ones and twos. The pair took the side to 100 in 14 overs. But by then, Krunal was feeling discomfort in his leg; he eventually retired hurt for 49 off 42 balls.

Stoinis in Hulk mode

Stoinis was on 45 off 35 balls at the end of the 17th over. After that, he went on a rampage. He hit Jordan for three fours and two sixes to take 24 runs off the 18th over. Behrendorff was next in the firing line. Stoinis hit back-to-back sixes off his slower balls before wrapping up the innings with yet another maximum, off Akash Madhwal.With Mumbai needing 11, Mohsin Khan conceded only five in the final over•BCCI

Kishan, Rohit give Mumbai a great start

At halftime, Stoinis said the pitch was not easy to bat on, but if you gave yourself some time, it got much easier. Kishan didn’t need any sighters, though. He hit three fours and a six in his first 12 balls. Rohit faced just four balls in the first three overs. In the next three, he smashed three sixes to power Mumbai to 58 for no loss. It was the highest powerplay total of the season in Lucknow.

LSG fight back

It started with Bishnoi breaking the opening stand by dismissing Rohit, and then removing Kishan in his next over. Mumbai were still ahead in the game, but a couple of quiet overs pushed the required rate above ten.With 63 needed from six overs, Suryakumar fell to Yash Thakur. Two overs later, Nehal Wadhera’s laboured innings – 16 off 20 balls – came to an end when he pulled Mohsin to deep-backward square leg. Vishnu Vinod didn’t last long either, leaving David and Green to get 33 from 14 balls. David put Mumbai ahead once again with a 19-run penultimate over, only to be denied by Mohsin in the end.

Centuries from Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra at entirely different stages of their careers – and both of varying styles – made South Africa pay for the lack of experience and pace, and the chances they put down of both batters. The duo had put on 219 runs for the unbroken third wicket by the end of the first day to deflate a spirited South Africa line-up that had reduced the hosts to a tricky 39 for 2 in the first session.Williamson was the more patient and circumspect of the two as he put a scratchy start behind him, whereas Ravindra smoked a six on his 11th ball to get going for his best Test score as both batters picked up pace in the last session to just about touch the run rate of three an over.Ravindra and Williamson had to steer New Zealand out of troubled waters after debutant Tshepo Moreki started his Test career with a first-ball wicket by trapping Devon Conway lbw for 1 in the second over of the game. In his accurate first spell of 5-1-10-1, Moreki beat Williamson three times in 15 balls for just five runs.Dane Paterson also tested the batters with his seam movement with wobble seam, and he soon drew Tom Latham’s outside edge for 20. The jitters continued as Williamson was nearly run-out when Ravindra tapped his fifth ball towards cover point for a quick single, only for the throw to be wayward. Had Williamson been dismissed, the hosts would have been 44 for 3 then.Ravindra’s start was much more confident, as he welcomed Moreki back for a second spell with a six over the long-leg boundary. Moreki continued to impress nonetheless, and even drew Ravindra’s edge three balls later, but it fell well short of second slip. Ravindra enjoyed some more luck off Moreki on 23 when his inside edge just missed the stumps which made him a bit more watchful.The duo batted patiently through a wicketless second session of 27 overs for just 60 runs, with plenty of leaves and blocks because of the tight bowling from the four South Africa quicks. South Africa were fielding an all-pace bowling attack and six debutants in Mount Maunganui, including their captain Neil Brand. Since 1995, it was the first instance by a Test nation apart from Ireland and Afghanistan who had their captain on debut when the side wasn’t playing its first Test.1:54

Moreki: We knew it would be difficult against NZ

But the conditions started to get better for batting after the initial swing subsided and once the ball got older. Williamson opened up with imperious boundaries off Moreki in consecutive overs, and Ravindra soon caught up when he broke the shackles against Paterson with a cover drive and a mighty pull for a one-bounce four.While Williamson played the ball very late and used soft hands to ensure his edges weren’t carrying, Ravindra drove, scythed and pulled the loose deliveries with hard hands and a lot more punch. Williamson got a life on 45 just minutes before tea when he uncharacteristically slogged against Ruan de Swardt’s medium pace, but the leading edge was shelled by Edward Moore while running back from extra cover.And Williamson reached his fifty in the next over with a boundary, while Ravindra reached his own in the over after the break. Both scored a lot more freely with boundaries to tick at above four runs an over in the half hour after the tea break as Ravindra closed in on his partner. By then, Duanne Oliver’s pace had started to drop below 125kph, and South Africa’s captain Neil Brand came on to bowl left-arm spin but for no success.Soon after, Ravindra got a life on 80 when his top edge flew to deep backward square leg where Olivier ran in and dived forward, and got both hands to the ball, but couldn’t hold on. As South Africa started bowling shorter consistently before the second new ball was taken, Williamson pulled to reach his 30th Test century – off 241 balls – while Ravindra’s landmark moment came in the next over, off 189 deliveries.South Africa’s fortunes didn’t change even after the second new ball, which was slapped straightaway for a four by both batters. Ravindra continued to collect boundaries off Moreki, whether he pitched it full or short, to overtake Williamson and finish the day unbeaten on 118, ten ahead of the former captain.