Cricket: Cricket-Williamson ton drives NZ to first test series win over South Africa

(Reuters) -Kane Williamson hit an unbeaten century as New Zealand chased down a victory target of 267 to beat South Africa by seven wickets on the fourth day of the second test on Friday and clinch a first ever series win over the Proteas.

South Africa, severely depleted with most of their top players back home playing the SA20 tournament, battled hard to even up the series at 1-1 but were unable to make sufficient inroads into the home batting order.

Williamson’s patient 133, his 32nd test century, was the mainstay of the Black Caps innings and a partnership of 152 with Will Young (60 not out) got them over the line in what was a record fourth-innings run chase in a test at Seddon Park.

The 2-0 series triumph will come with a hefty asterisk due to the inexperience of the South African squad and Neil Brand’s tourists will take great credit for taking the contest down to the wire after losing the first test by a thumping 281 runs.

The hosts resumed on Friday on 40-1 with the match very much in the balance after Devon Conway had been dismissed by spinner Dane Piedt in the final over of play on day three.

Conway’s fellow opener Tom Latham added nine runs to his overnight tally before he departed for 30, caught by Zubayr Hamza off Piedt, but that just brought Williamson to the crease to join Rachin Ravindra.

The master batsman boasted an average of 88 in Hamilton coming into the match and he set about constructing his innings in his usual deliberate manner, with plenty of grind but ruthless punishment for anything loose.

The Black Caps reached lunch at 107-2, still 160 runs from their target, and Ravindra was winkled out by Piedt for 20 soon afterwards when his attempted drive went straight Brand at short cover.

Williamson reached his 34th half century two overs later, however, and Young survived a scare when he was given out to Shaun von Berg only to overturn the decision, and deny the South African his first test wicket, on review.

New Zealand scored only 66 runs in the second session to reach tea on 173-3 but Williamson was soon celebrating another century in trademark subdued fashion after a lengthy wait on 99.

The 33-year-old, who scored hundreds in each innings in the first test, moved alongside Australian batting greats Steve Waugh and Steve Smith in joint 11th place in the all-time list of test century scorers.

South Africa continued to create half chances but seamer Dane Paterson and spinner von Berg enjoyed little luck and finished wicketless, while Piedt had to be satisfied with 3-93 to add to his five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Young slapped a four straight back over the bowler to secure his seventh test half century and get the deficit down to a couple of dozen runs but fittingly it was Williamson’s 12th four that secured the winning runs.

New Zealand moved to the top of the World Test Championship standings with their first-test win in Mount Maunganui and next host reigning champions Australia in a two-match series starting in Wellington on Feb. 29.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)