Rain ruins delightful swing-bowling day

It seemed the only thing Dale Steyn's angry eyes did not have power over was the weather. While the grey clouds gave him swing, and he controlled it so well that South Africa's total of 263 assumed excellent proportions, they also brought rain which allowed only 22 overs to be bowled on the second day at Kingsmead.

New Zealand were 15 for 2 at lunch and they stayed 15 for 2 when play was called off at tea time.

The day had begun a little late with South Africa's tail batting. Trent Boult designed a beauty - away swing that almost bowled Kagiso Rabada around his legs. Tim Southee, playing his first Test in South Africa, kissed the top of leg stump. The man he dismissed, that old pro Steyn, took four balls when New Zealand batted to make clear his having played no Tests in eight months would only serve to embellish his legend. It was a fast-bowling fashion show in Durban.

Martin Guptill was distracted by a bevy of outswingers before one moved in and struck the front pad. Steyn whirled around, his veins popping and spit flying in appeal. Umpire Richard Illingworth calmly shook his head in response.

"Crack it open, boy," leered the slip cordon. Tom Latham found himself ganged up on. Then he was sucked in by one that pretended to be a half-volley.

Steyn had watched Latham playing with extreme care, making sure his bat didn't stray too far from his body and committing himself to a shot as late as possible. But a batsman's instinct is to score runs and that instinct flared up when the second ball of the seventh over was pitched wide. Latham fished outside off. Steyn bagged him, tagged him and would have instagrammed him if he was allowed to.

Guptill's front pad and Steyn's inswing went out on a second date right in front of middle stump. The romance was so compelling that even umpire Illingworth had to give his blessing.

Steyn's first spell read 6-4-3-2. After a point he felt he was getting too much movement and began bowling cross-seamers to have a better chance at snatching the outside edge. He was on 408 wickets and needed 14 more for the South African record.

Into this walked Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, their averages of 10.75 and 11 in South Africa hanging over them along with the dark clouds. They had only played three matches in this country, but they were New Zealand's two best batsmen. Regrouping on day three with them at the crease may just be the best of a bad situation for the visitors.

New Zealand will need some luck though because overcast conditions are forecast on the third day as well and South Africa have an attack capable of exploiting them. Vernon Philander, coming back to Test cricket for the first time since injuring his ankle in November 2015, bustled in to string together balls on a good length and jerk them this way and that. There was one delivery that came down perfectly straight, pitched a few inches in front of Taylor's front foot and seamed away so sharply it seemed like a freakishly quick legbreak.

The stage was … wet after the break. Gloomy conditions - despite the floodlights - meant New Zealand were confined to their dressing room, which they wouldn't have minded. It was safe indoors, and the All Blacks were thumping the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship.

It wasn't rain that kept the players out for the rest of the day. For the most part the light just wasn't good enough, leaving the 2543 people at Kingsmead, approximately one-tenth its capacity, equally frustrated. Helpfully, play was called off with an hour remaining for them to scramble and catch the start of the Springboks' Championship campaign.

The outfield in Durban had been relaid in June and a few chunks did come out when fielders slid to retrieve the ball. With more rain expected at night, there was concern over whether it would be ready in time for play to restart tomorrow at 10 am.