Williamson stands firm amid umpiring blunders at Centurion in SA‚ New Zealand Test

29 August 2016 - 16:16 By Telford Vice

Kane Williamson kept New Zealand’s heads above water on the third morning of the second test at Centurion on Monday‚ but the umpires were again to the fore in a match already tainted by questionable decision-making. The visitors’ captain was 40 not out at lunch‚ which New Zealand reached on 118/6 in reply to SA’s first innings of 481/8 declared.Williamson and Henry Nicholls‚ who came together seven overs before the close on Sunday after New Zealand had slumped to 38/3‚ shared 60 runs for the fourth wicket before Nicholls was trapped in front by Kagiso Rabada for 36.In the third over before lunch BJ Watling gloved a legside delivery from Dale Steyn and was caught behind for eight.Then‚ 15 balls before the interval‚ Mitchell Santner edged Steyn onto the top of his middle stump and was bowled for a fourth-ball duck.The first two dismissals were confirmed only after SA‚ who had their appeals turned down by umpires Paul Reiffel and Ian Gould‚ sent them upstairs for review by television official Richard Illingworth.That brought to eight the number of umpiring errors made in the seven sessions of the match played so far.All of the mistakes were corrected with the help of the decision review system‚ but Gould informed the players before the start of the day’s second over that the system was not working from the Hennops River End.It was later restored to full functionality. - TMG Digital..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.