Cricket: Bruised bowler bubbling

Battered, bruised but happy test centurion James Franklin believes New Zealand have not only the runs but also the bowling attack to make South Africa squirm on the final two days of the second test at Newlands.

The New Zealand No 9, who last night posted his maiden test hundred with 122 not out, said Stephen Fleming's epic double-century on the second day had left the tourists in an unassailable position and with hope of a series-levelling result.

Nursing a nasty lump on the base of his skull and a bandaged left forearm after being struck twice in the same spot, Franklin said the record 256-run stand for the eighth wicket between he and Fleming was just what was required, given the team's intentions.

New Zealand have carried two spinners into the match in order to exploit any turn and received an even bigger boost on Thursday night when South African skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first - the first captain to do so at Newlands since 1924.

Franklin, unbeaten on 93 on the second day, brought up his century with an elegant straight drive for four and then hit out as New Zealand chased quick runs ahead of a declaration - made at 593 for eight.

"I think a win is possible on that wicket," he said. "We've got a decent seam attack, a world-class spinner in Daniel Vettori and a very good off-spinner in Jeetan Patel, so hopefully we can put the ball in the right areas and take the wickets. It's up to the bowlers now.

Fleming's magnificent 262, an innings Franklin regarded as one of the best he'd seen in terms of shouldering responsibility, was Fleming's ninth test century, his first against the Proteas and the highest by any New Zealander against South Africa.

It eclisped Scott Styris' record of 170, scored against Smith's tourists at Auckland in 2003-04.

He now stands as the only New Zealander to have scored three double hundreds, having moved ahead of the brace scored by Glenn Turner and Mathew Sinclair, and he has the fourth-highest individual scores.

"It was a spectacular innings," said Franklin. "To lead from the front like he did over a day-and-a-half and to produce what he did was quite outstanding. We just tried to keep going and to take every ball as it came and things progressed from there."

The 256-run stand was the second-highest in test history for the eighth wicket, bettered only by the 313 posted by Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq and Wasim Akram against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura in 1996.

Franklin demonstrated courage after being struck in the back of the head by a Makhaya Ntini bouncer.

"Makhaya's sconed a few people this season and I'm just the most recent one. It's never pleasant being hit like that so I had to take a bit of a breather before I started up again. Luckily it didn't get under the helmet - but I've still got a bit of a lump there."

Ntini was also responsible for the twin blows on Franklin's left forearm, although the New Zealand left-armer was confident that the resulting bruising wouldn't have any far reaching consequences.

He said New Zealand now had to take the initiative in the field through the precision and accuracy of the seam attack and the guile and deception of spinners Vettori and Patel.

"We've noticed a bit of turn out there and hopefully our guys can exploit that to the maximum," he said. "It's up to myself and the other pacemen to just hit a length and annoy the batsman and bore them out."

However, they were not initially succeeding in their attempts at tying the South Africans down.

Late last night, South Africa were 32 for none with captain Smith and Boeta Dippenaar proceeding cautiously at first on a pitch which looked to be giving the New Zealand bowlers as little assistance as it gave the South Africans. New Zealand brought on Daniel Vettori after only 10 overs as Smith moved smoothly to 22 not out.

South African coach Micky Arthur yesterday conceded his side had virtually no chance of winning.

"We've already had a discussion about the type of batting we need to adopt to save the game and I guess it'll just come down to how we handle the responsibility on the day."

The Masterclass

Highest Individual Test Scores by a New Zealander

299 Martin Crowe vs Sri Lanka at Wellington, 1st test, 1990-91
274* Stephen Fleming vs Sri Lanka at Colombo (PSS), 1st test, 2003
267* Bryan Young vs Sri Lanka at Dunedin, 1st test, 1996-97
262 Stephen Fleming vs South Africa, 2nd test, Cape Town, 2005-06
259 Glenn Turner vs West Indies at Georgetown, 4th test, 1971-72
239 Graham Dowling vs India at Christchurch, 2nd test, 1967-68
230* Bert Sutcliffe vs India at Delhi, 3rd test, 1955-56
224 Lou Vincent vs Sri Lanka at Wellington, 2nd test, 2004-05
223* Glenn Turner vs West Indies at Kingston, 1st test, 1971-72
222 Nathan Astle vs England at Christchurch, 1st test, 2001-02
214 Mathew Sinclair vs West Indies at Wellington, 2nd test, 1999-00
206 Martin Donnelly vs England at Lord's, 2nd test, 1949
204* Mathew Sinclair vs Pakistan at Christchurch, 2nd test, 2000-01
202 Stephen Fleming vs Bangladesh at Chittagong, 2nd test, 2004-05