New Zealand's inability to play bouncing ball is worrying, says Jeremy Coney, after first Test loss to South Africa in Cape Town

Jeremy Coney told Sky Sports that New Zealand's "shell shocked" batsmen must learn how to deal with bouncing deliveries and improve their strokeplay following their heavy defeat to South Africa in Cape Town.

Solid

Key and Coney were also impressed by the batting of Alviro Petersen (106) and Jacques Kallis (60) during South Africa's solitary innings at Newlands, which was swelled to 347-8 declared by further half centuries from AB de Villiers (67) and Hashim Amla (66). "New Zealand don't have a tremendous attack so that devalues Petersen's hundred a little bit - if a Test century can ever be devalued," said Key, who played the last of his 15 Tests for England in 2005. "But conditions were tough for batting and he was very solid, hung on in there, and got his runs with the odd bit of expanse - and that allowed Amla, Kallis and De Villiers to play their shots around him." Of Kallis, 37, who became the fourth man to reach 13,000 Test runs in the Cape Town contest, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting in that elite club, Coney added: "I feel we are now seeing the blossoming of him as a batsman. "He is now playing the shots he feels more confident about playing and has become a better batsmen aesthetically than he used to be - though I'm sure 13,000 Test runs helps that! "He has batted three in the past - probably the most testing position - so that proves he has a good defence, and he has repelled all the great bowlers he has had to face, including that fearsome Australian attack featuring Glenn McGrath." The second Test between South Africa and New Zealand is live from 8.30am on Sky Sports 2 HD on Friday, January 11.