On a cold day and in seamer-friendly conditions, the visitors reinforced their hold over the second Test match
Tea South Africa 364 (Erwee 108, Wagner 4-102) and 42 for 3 (van der Dussen 7*, Bavuma 0*) lead New Zealand 294 (de Grandhomme 120*, Rabada 5-60) by 113 runs
South Africa stuck to a short-ball plan for most of the third day and dismissed New Zealand before the second new ball was due. de Grandhomme, who scored a counter-attacking half-century on the second evening, picked up where he left off, hitting the first ball of the day, a full delivery from Marco Jansen, square of the wicket for four.
Mitchell had played a supporting role to de Grandhomme yesterday but saw an opportunity to get in on the action. He pulled Kagiso Rabada’s third ball over midwicket and top-edged a hook off Jansen over the wicketkeeper to force South Africa to rethink their bang-it-in lengths.
Rabada’s plan was to attack the stumps with the odd surprise bouncer but he occasionally went too full. Mitchell brought up his third fifty off a half-volley that he clipped off his toes and then took the partnership to 100 runs with a a glance to fine leg.
Wiaan Mulder was the first change of the day and was greeted with back-to-back boundaries by de Grandhomme, who hit him through the covers and then down the ground to move into the seventies. Mulder bowled only one over before Dean Elgar turned to Keshav Maharaj, the only specialist spinner playing in the match, and de Grandhomme paddled him fine for four first-up.
Maharaj persisted, searching for turn on a day when temperatures were barely above 10 degrees celsius, and was soon rewarded when he hit Mitchell on the pad in front of off stump. Mitchell was given out lbw but reviewed, only for ball-tracking to show the ball was hitting the middle of middle stump. Maharaj could have had a second when Kyle Jamieson pressed forward and almost offerred a chance to silly point but had to be content with holding his end.
de Grandhomme reached his century with a three, off Maharaj, through backward point, off the 138th ball he faced. After taking just 36 deliveries for his first fifty, the allrounder showed a more patient side in getting to his second. He was dropped by Kyle Verreynne six balls later, when he gloved a pull off Jansen.
But Jansen did not have to wait too long to have success. He removed Jamieson off the next ball, when the batter clipped a short ball to leg gully and opened up the New Zealand tail in the penultimate over before the break.
New Zealand came out post-lunch with clear intent to keep attacking. Tim Southee lasted three balls before he top-edged a pull off Jansen to midwicket. de Grandhomme responded with a six two balls later.
Neil Wagner hooked and ramped Jansen and charged Maharaj, producing shades of his 49 in the first Test, but the fun didn’t as last as long this time. He holed out for 21 two balls before the second new ball was due. Matt Henry followed suit off the very next delivery, upper cutting Rabada straight to deep point to leave de Grandhomme stranded on a career-best 120.
New Zealand needed quick wickets to give themselves a chance of staying in the Test and Southee provided a couple. He had Sarel Erwee trapped in front with an inswinger that pitched on middle and beat the inside-edge. The opener was given out on-field but reviewed and was confirmed out on umpire’s call.
Markram never quite settled and edged his only boundary between the slips and gully before he was bowled by a pin-point yorker to become Henry’s 50th Test wicket. The delivery surprised everyone, especially on a day of short balls, pitching on middle and leg and sneaking under Markram’s bat. He averages 12.75 in his last 12 Test innings.
New Zealand could have had another before tea when Rassie van der Dussen chipped a drive back to Henry, and though he made a valiant effort to take the catch in his follow through, he could not hold on.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent