Recalled NZ paceman backs up talk

New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor said on the eve of the second cricket test against South Africa in Hamilton that Mark Gillespie "talks a big game" but Gillespie proved yesterday morning he can bring a big game too with four wickets in four dramatic overs.

If Thursday will be remembered for New Zealand's incredible collapse from 133 for two to 133 for seven inside 20 balls, yesterday will be remembered for the return of Gillespie.

Playing his first test since 2008 and his fourth overall, he picked up a wicket in each of his first four overs of the day. Gillespie might have snared another in his fifth but AB de Villiers edged through a slip cordon that was strangely under-manned.

It started with the wicket of Hashim Amla (16) with his second ball of the day and Jacques Kallis (6), Alviro Petersen (29) and Jacques Rudolph (1) soon followed him.

At one stage he had the remarkable figures of four for 17 off five overs and he deserved to finish the innings with five for 59.

It dragged New Zealand back into a match they seemed out of on Thursday night. South Africa were 88-6 at one stage and the Black Caps might have had thoughts of a first-innings lead but the Proteas added another 165 runs with their last four wickets to move through to 253 and a lead of 68.

That looked like a lot when New Zealand's top order failed again and they finished the day up against it three runs behind on 65-4 with Kane Williamson on 41 and Daniel Vettori yet to score. It might have been healthier but they lost Taylor for 17 2.2 overs before stumps.

New Zealand's second-innings collapse didn't quite match the events of Thursday but that was extraordinary and seven for three is bad enough at any time.

It was car crash material as Rob Nicol, who looks out of his depth in test cricket, Martin Guptill (1) and Brendon McCullum (5) surrendered their wickets meekly and handed back any initiative they had worked so hard to grasp.

Nicol's run in this series reads 6, 19, 2 and 1 and his days in the side could be numbered. Vernon Philander continued his incredible start in test cricket, picking up another two to take his tally to 41 wickets in his sixth test at 14.36 - and is on target to be the first bowler to 50 wickets since the Nineteenth Century.

Williamson and Taylor restored some order with a partnership of 57 but Williamson and Vettori will need to bat for considerable time today if New Zealand are to post a competitive target.