Cricket: Du Plessis hits fifth Test hundred

Pretoria - Puts South Africa in strong position against New Zealand in second Test

Stand-in captain Faf du Plessis scored a fifth Test century before his bowlers ripped through the New Zealand top order to leave South Africa firmly in charge after day two of the second Test at Centurion on Sunday.Du Plessis was unbeaten on 112 when South Africa declared on 481 for eight before reducing New Zealand to 38 for three at the close with superb fast bowling on a wicket that has both sideways movement and variable bounce.
Skipper Kane Williamson is not out on 15 and will carry the hopes of the touring side into the third day, along with Henry Nicholls who is unbeaten on four.
South Africa's opening bowlers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, both returning to the side for this series after injury layoffs, used the conditions superbly and were unlucky not to find more success.
Philander had Martin Guptill (eight) caught at slip by Stiaan van Zyl before Steyn induced an edge from Tom Latham that was caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.
With plenty of deliveries beating the bat and the scoring rate slow, Ross Taylor (one) showed signs of panic. He took on the arm of the nippy Temba Bavuma at midwicket and was run out to compound the misery for New Zealand.
Du Plessis had earlier shown the way with a patient innings that took 234 balls and was his first Test ton in 17 visits to the crease, a timely return to form as he stands in for regular captain AB de Villiers.
JP Duminy, restored to the team in the absence of De Villiers, missed out on his century, though, falling for 88 caught behind off a wild hook.
Neil Wagner, who attended primary and high school with Du Plessis in Pretoria, was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with figures of 5-89 in 39 overs.
Earlier South Africa were 437 for six at tea, with Du Plessis on 95 not out.
Apart from a burst of scoring immediately after lunch, it was slow going for Du Plessis, who had faced 205 balls by tea, hitting ten fours and two sixes.
The South African captain bemoaned the failure of his batsmen to convert good starts into big scores after the aborted first Test in Durban and seemed determined to set an example against steady bowling on a pitch still offering some help to the seam bowlers.
South Africa's total advanced by 154 runs from their overnight total of 283 for three, for the loss of three more wickets in 54 overs.
JP Duminy made 88 off 158 balls, with 13 fours, before he was caught behind off Tim Southee, getting a faint edge to an attempted pull against a bouncer.
Temba Bavuma also fell to a short ball, top-edging a pull against Neil Wagner to be well caught by Doug Bracewell, running in from fine leg, for eight.
Stiaan van Zyl, a late replacement for the injured Dean Elgar, made a labored 35 off 111 before he was caught at a wide slip by Ross Taylor off Neil Wagner.
The left-armed Wagner, born and raised in nearby Pretoria, was New Zealand's most successful bowler, taking four for 76.
New Zealand again were on the wrong side of close leg before wicket decisions, using up both their remaining reviews as they sought to overturn not out decisions against Van Zyl and Vernon Philander. 
 
Scoreboard
 
South Africa 1st innings (overnight 283-3)
 
S. Cook c Williamson b Bracewell 56
 
Q. de Kock c Boult b Wagner 82
 
H. Amla c Watling b Wagner 58
 
J. Duminy c Watling b Southee 88
 
F. du Plessis not out 112
 
T. Bavuma c Bracewell b Wagner 8
 
S. van Zyl c Taylor b Wagner 35
 
V. Philander b Wagner 8
 
K. Rabada c Nicholls b Santner 7
 
D. Steyn not out 13
 
Extras: (b10, lb4) 14
 
Total: (8 wkts dec, 154 overs) 481
 
Fall: 1-133, 2-151, 3-246, 4-342, 5-342, 6-426, 7-442, 8-463.
 
Bowling: Southee 35-4-114-1, Boult 35.4-7-107-0, Bracewell 30.2-9-98-1, Santner 14-1-62-1, Wagner 39-8-86-5
 
Did not bat: D. Piedt