Christchurch, Feb 25 (AP) South Africa captain Dean Elgar made a bold decision to bat after winning the toss and helped his team graft its way to 80-0 at lunch Friday on the first day of the second test against New Zealand.

Elgar had made 25 from 81 balls by lunch while his opening partner Sarel Erwee brought up his maiden test half century just before the break and was 53 not out.

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The Proteas lost the toss and had to bat first in the first test at the same venue, Hagley Oval, and were bowled out for 95 on their way to a loss by an innings and 276 runs.

Elgar decided on Friday to confront any demons remaining from that loss by challenging himself as an opening batsman and his teammates to again bat first.

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The first-test pitch at Hagley Oval was green and the New Zealand bowlers exploited the seam movement it provided to bowl out South Africa in two sessions on the opening day and again for only 111 in its second innings.

The second-test pitch also had a greenish tinge but it had a lighter covering of grass and less moisture than its predecessor. Elgar gambled it would provide less assistance to New Zealand's four-pronged seam attack, at least off the surface.

He was mostly proved correct. The new ball swung and Tim Southee, especially, challenged to Proteas openers with movement in the air. But Elgar and Erwee applied themselves and played with great concentration and care before lunch.

Elgar and Erwee learned the lessons of the first and tried to play less often at balls missing off stump. The failure of the Proteas' batsmen to leave in the first test was a large part of their undoing and they lost seven wickets in the first innings and five in the second to catches behind the wicket.

Southee again tested the batsmen by varying his length and his angle, sometimes bowling from wider on the crease. He swung the ball into the left-handers openers, forcing them always to be watchful.

Elgar had a difficult time at first and played and missed on several occasions. But both openers had begun to settle as lunch approached. Elwee, in only his second test, felt confident enough to unleash the pull shot and he also was willing to drive on the up, a risky option in the first test.

He had taken almost a third of his runs with shots through cover.

After its dominating win in the first test, New Zealand needs only a draw to secure its first-ever test series win over South Africa. The Proteas have won 13 of the previous 16 series between the teams while three have been shared. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)