Matt Henry produced a career-best 7 for 23 in a spectacular display of pace bowling as New Zealand skittled South Africa for 95 in the opening test in Christchurch.
Matt Henry took 7-23 - the fourth best bowling figures by a New Zealander in test cricket. Photo: Photosport
Playing his first test in eight months with Trent Boult is on paternity leave, Henry wreaked havoc at the Hagley Oval, consigning South Africa to their lowest ever score against New Zealand. Their previous lowest score was 148 in 1953 in Johannesburg.
The Black Caps were 116-3 at stumps. Henry Nicholls was batting on 37 with nightwatchman Neil Wagner on two.
"Great to do it in front of my home fans, friends and family," Henry told Spark Sport after registering the joint third-best test figures by a New Zealand bowler.
Henry said the conditions suited him.
"When you wake up and see the overhead (conditions) and day one at Hagley you've obviously got your fingers crossed for a bowl so when we won the toss it was great obviously to get a chance to bowl here," said Henry.
Not being a Test regular he was particularly pleased to perform in front of family and friends.
"I wouldn't say it was a performance that I needed - you always want to do the best job you can when you come out and play. When you play odd games here and there it's not always going to go in your favour so it's nice to have a bag like that."
Henry and fellow pacemen Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson extracted considerable movement in the air and bounce off the pitch after Tom Latham won the toss and elected to field.
Zubayr Hamza made 25 and Kyle Verreynne scored 18 but lack of partnerships hurt South Africa.
Latham is leading New Zealand in the absence of Kane Williamson who has been ruled out of the two-test series with an elbow injury.
-RNZ/Reuters