“Huge honor for me every time I walk on the field,” said Proteas all-rounder, Marco Jansen, after delivering impactful performances with bat and ball to ensure that South Africa are on top of New Zealand on Day 2 of the second Test. 

South Africa began Day 2 on 238/3, with Rassie van der Dussenand Temba Bavuma at the crease. While Matt Henry and Neil Wagner were able to make early inroads into South Africa’s middle order, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj scored 37 off 51 and 36 off 50, respectively, to take South Africa to a fighting total of 364. 

Explaining his improvement in his batting ability, Jansen said, “Last year, I was included in the SA A squad, I had the privilege to work with Neil McKenzie. Not mentally, but strategically. My game plan. When I got here with the Proteas, I work a lot with Sammo. Just tweaking my technique a bit. Trying to tighten it up. Focusing more on the mental approach.” 

From a bowling perspective, Jansen said the team’s focus should on hard length deliveries. “When I batted, the hard lengths ball nipped a bit more. The full length balls didn’t do much. There was a bit of spin and bounce. I don’t know how exactly the pitch will play. There will be a bit of turn for Kesh. Try and use the new ball as much as we can.” 

Daryl Mitchell and Colin de Grandhomme stitched a 66-run partnership after the Proteas had reduced New Zealand to 91/5. Jansen said, “We always knew there was going to be a partnership somewhere. If there was a partnership, we wouldn’t back down. We would keep hitting our areas as much as possible. Tomorrow, we’re just going to go out and force them to make a mistake.”