* New Zealand batting to save test after Morkel double
strike
* Taylor to have surgery on broken arm
(repeats to fix formatting in headline)
By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) – New Zealand were in dire
straits at lunch on the fifth day of the third and final test
against South Africa, reaching the break at 26 for two, still 66
overs from the scheduled end of play.
The hosts had been set an improbable 389-run victory target
in 81 overs after Graeme Smith declared South Africa’s second
innings on 189 for three just over an hour into the final day at
the Basin Reserve.
Morne Morkel dismissed Daniel Flynn and Brendon McCullum for
ducks inside the first five overs as the hosts slumped to two
wickets for one run.
They could have been worse off as Kane Williamson was given
the benefit of the doubt when on seven, after Alviro Petersen
claimed a low catch at point off Dale Steyn. Television replays
were inconclusive as to whether the catch was taken cleanly.
Williamson (seven) and Martin Guptill (14) were together at
the lunch break with the task of getting their side through to
tea without any further loss of wickets.
New Zealand’s chase had already been hampered with
confirmation captain Ross Taylor would need surgery on his
broken left forearm after he was struck by a Morkel bouncer on
Monday and would take no further part in the game.
Continued…
