Cricket-Elgar, Duminy grind as South Africa increase lead against NZ

WELLINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - Dean Elgar and JP Duminy battled to give South Africa a decent lead as the visitors grafted their way to 100 for two in their second innings at lunch on the fourth day of the first test against New Zealand at University Oval on Saturday.

Elgar was on 40, while Duminy was on 32 with the Proteas holding a 67-run lead after New Zealand had been bowled out for 341 on Friday.

New Zealand, however, would be ruing two dropped chances that could have put them in control of the match, which has been evenly poised throughout.

Duminy was dropped at first slip by Tom Latham when he was on six, while Elgar was spilled on 35 by wicketkeeper BJ Watling just before the lunch break.

They also had two lbw appeals on Duminy turned down, with one that would have been overturned had they asked for a review.

Hashim Amla was the only wicket to fall in a disrupted first session, when he spooned a catch to substitute fielder Tim Southee off Neil Wagner to be dismissed for 24.

Play had been due to begin 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled start of 1100 (2200 GMT) after a fire alarm in the main stand forced the evacuation of the entire venue and held up play for about 30 minutes on Friday.

Light rain, however, delayed the start for about 40 minutes with South Africa resuming on 38 for one in their second innings, a lead of five runs, with Amla on 23 and Elgar on 12.

The hosts struck early with Amla adding just one run before he spooned a catch to Southee, fielding for the injured Ross Taylor, at midwicket.

Duminy joined Elgar and faced five deliveries before umpires Bruce Oxenford and Kumar Dharmasena took the players off for bad light, though they returned less than 15 minutes later.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Peter Rutherford)