Super Rugby Pacific, the Black Caps and White Ferns are in action this weekend as Newstalk ZB's Kate Wells and Elliott Smith preview what's to come. Video / NZ Herald
The evidence has been gathered and the findings are undeniable – South African cricketers are hopeless when playing against blokes named Henry.
After Matt Henry ripped through the Proteas with seven wickets on day one of the first test at Hagley Oval, he joined forces with Henry Nicholls to dominate day two, with Nicholls bringing up his eighth test century as the Black Caps built a mammoth first-innings lead.
Then, as if he hadn't hurt them enough already, Matt Henry came back and blasted 58 not out at No 11 as part of a morale-sapping 94-run stand with Tom Blundell, who made 96 as New Zealand racked up 482 and ensured South Africa went a whopping 61 consecutive overs without bowling a maiden.
Once South Africa had finally ended their Henry hell with the bat, he promptly picked up his eighth wicket by removing opener Dean Elgar, and Tim Southee sent back Sarel Erwee and Aiden Markram to send Proteas to stumps at a miserable 34-3, 353 runs in arrears.
Matt Henry is mobbed by teammates after dismissing Dean Elgar. Photo / Getty
Add in the visitors dropping as many catches as Henry VIII had wives, and it was another disastrous day in a test that will be over tomorrow if they don't apply themselves better on a pitch slowly losing its potency.
Nicholls was one of the beneficiaries of South Africa's sloppy fielding, being dropped on five and 23 on day one, but he was much more assured today, continuing to play aggressively.
That was a theme of New Zealand's innings, adding 366 runs on day two at a rapid run rate of 4.5, and it started with Nicholls and nightwatchman Neil Wagner.
Wagner, also given a life the night before, had a battle with Kagiso Rabada, taking 23 off two of his early overs, then 14 off Glenn Stuurman's first over of the day.
He departed for 49 off 56 balls, with Rabada getting his man as Wagner sent a well-timed clip straight to the fielder on the square leg boundary, but with the pair having added 80 off 107 balls, the tone had been set.
119 runs came in the first session and the partnerships continued to build throughout the day. Stands of 80, 48, 34, 76, 19, 20 and 94 ensured the visitors could never string together regular wickets, and the tired South Africa seamers started to stray from their lines and lengths.
Nicholls was the first to cash in, with a near-faultless start to the day seeing him bringing up a century off 156 balls with a sumptuous square drive, and while he fell five runs later, the platform had been set for Colin de Grandhomme and Blundell to plunder.
Henry Nicholls. Photo / Photosport
De Grandhomme was his usual belligerent self, smacking 45 off 42 balls before holing out to part-time spinner Markram, but he and Blundell had added a valuable 76 off 84 balls and Blundell kept going.
After a shaky start, the under-pressure keeper started to get settled with his trademark pull shot, though looked to be running out of partners when Southee was dismissed after a comical over in which he was dropped on the third ball, hit a four on the fourth, was dropped again on the fifth then finally caught on the sixth.
Blundell was on 60 when Henry joined him, but Henry – overqualified as a No 11 – quickly looked the better batsman, splaying some glorious strokes as he brought up his second test 50 off just 54 balls.
Matt Henry also shone with the bat. Photo / Getty
As further milestones loomed, Blundell got out one shot short of his century, with his departure – fishing at an innocuous ball outside off-stump – a deflating way to end a partnership that fell one run short of South Africa's first-innings score.
That feeling lasted merely 10 minutes though, as the pair were immediately back in business to remove Elgar as Henry continued what is not only his best test performance, but also one of New Zealand's.
