Fleming double century shuts out South Africa

CRICKET: A record-breaking double century by captain Stephen Fleming helped New Zealand to 535 runs for eight wickets and effectively shut South Africa out of the second test on Friday.

Fleming hit 262 to become the first New Zealander to make three double centuries in tests. His score was also the highest by a Kiwi against South Africa, surpassing the previous best of 170 by Scott Styris.

He batted for nine-and-a-half hours, faced 423 balls and hit 31 fours and two sixes.

James Franklin was unbeaten on 93 when bad light ended play nine overs early on the second day.

He had partnered Fleming in a stand of 256 for the eighth wicket, a record partnership for New Zealand against South Africa.

Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram had shared 225 for the seventh wicket in Auckland in 2003-04.

South Africa wasted a chance to dismiss Fleming for 136 with the fifth ball after lunch when he edged a delivery from fast bowler Dale Steyn to first slip, where Boeta Dippenaar dropped a simple catch.

Fleming was on 233 when he cut a delivery from part-time off-spinner Graeme Smith and steered a waist-high shot just past Jacques Kallis at slip.

The South Africans finally rid themselves of the New Zealand skipper with the last ball of the day, a near yorker from occasional off-spinner Ashwell Prince which he edged on to his stumps.

New Zealand had resumed, on 265 for six, and South Africa fast bowler Makhaya Ntini struck with the third delivery with the new ball when Vettori (11) mistimed a drive and scooped a catch to Andre Nel at mid-on.

But the rest of a truncated morning session, due to play being delayed for 90 minutes because of fog, belonged to the tourists.

The South Africans failed to stem the flow of runs on a day in which just four of the 74 overs bowled were maidens.

Ntini took four for 131 from 36 overs. Before play resumed, groundstaff used a hovercraft to try and remove dew from the outfield. A blowtorch was used to dry repairs made to footholes on the pitch.

South Africa lead the three-test series 1-0.

NEW ZEALAND - 1ST INNINGS
(Overnight: 265-6)                                
M. Papps b Nel	22
P. Fulton c Boucher b Steyn		 36
S. Fleming b Prince			262
S. Styris c Dippenaar b Ntini		 11
N. Astle lbw b Ntini			 50
J. Oram run out				 13
B. McCullum lbw b Ntini			  5
D. Vettori c Nel b Ntini		 11
J. Franklin not out			 93
Extras (b-4, lb-13, nb-14, w-1)		 32
TOTAL (for 8 wickets, 152 overs)	535
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-50, 2-62, 3-82, 4-188, 5-237, 
6-259, 7-279, 8-535.
TO BAT: J. Patel, C. Martin.      
BOWLING: M. Ntini 36-3-131-4 (nb-2), 
D. Steyn 26-3-93-1 (nb-10, w-1), A. Nel 27-3-98-1 (nb-1), 
J. Kallis 15-4-45-0 (nb-1), N. Boje 29-4-89-0, 
G. Smith 16-2-56-0, H. Amla 1-0-4-0, A. Prince 2-0-2-1.
CAPE TOWN, Friday (Reuters)