Astle refuses to blame pitch for collapse

Nathan Astle, New Zealand's veteran batsman, refused to blame a lively pitch for his side's collapse on day one of the third Test against South Africa at Johannesburg. After being put into bat, New Zealand were reduced to 3 for 2 and eventually bowled out for just 119.

"There was a little bit there, but at this time of year the groundsman can only do so much," Astle told Reuters. "There's nothing you can do about it, it's part and parcel of playing cricket. The main thing was that the ball was going both ways. I hope I'm not putting any of the South African bowlers down, but I don't think they knew which way it was going either. We had a target of about 250, and we fell well short of that."

Astle and Stephen Fleming were involved in a fourth-wicket stand of 55, New Zealand's biggest association as Makhaya Ntini (5 for 35) and Dale Steyn (3 for 43) turned in another disciplined performance. However, Astle remained hopeful of New Zealand making a competitive bid at drawing the series 1-1. "We're definitely disappointed, but if we knock over six wickets for 80 to 100 runs tomorrow we're still in the game," he said. "I think the wicket will get better once the sun gets on it."

Ntini and Steyn both felt that South Arica were in the driving seat. "It was a favourable pitch for us, we knew if we won the toss we would bowl," Ntini said. "We knew that if we put the ball in the right area, a lot of things could happen." On South Africa's slender 14-run lead, Steyn added: "Anything we can build a lead on is valuable, every run is valuable. It's the kind of wicket where you can lose three or four wickets very quickly."