All-rounders Ruan de Swardt and Shaun von Berg used "hard graft" to lead a South African rearguard on Tuesday as they reached 220-6 after New Zealand had dominated the start of the second Test.
De Swardt reached his maiden half-century and was 55 not out at stumps on day one. The 37-year-old Von Berg was 34 on his Test debut, with the pair having put on an unbroken 70 off 27 overs at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
South Africa won the toss but were 64-3 at lunch and tottering at 150-6 early in the final session after David Bedingham was dismissed in freakish fashion.
