South Africa captain Dean Elgar suggested that his side were trying too hard to force a result against New Zealand after they slumped to a historic loss in the first Test.
The Black Caps won by an innings and 276 runs, as the visitors were bowled all out for 95 and 111 respectively in what was their second-worst-ever defeat.
The triumph was New Zealand's first in the Test arena against South Africa since 2004, a run remarkably dating back 16 matches.
Elgar, however, refused to lay the blame at the feet of South Africa's disrupted build-up, with no warm-up matches having been held for the two-match tour, stressing that his side need to hold themselves accountable.
"I can't say it was nerves," the opener told reporters. "We were so deep into the game, those nerves were out of our system.
"It's extremely difficult to build pressure when runs are being scored on both sides of the wicket. It also boils down to guys trying too hard. The harder you try, the more you fail.
"I am not going to use quarantine as an excuse. We are here to represent our country, and we need to be firing by the time match day comes. If that is an excuse, it's a very weak excuse to be using."
Elgar offered his backing to number three Aiden Markram however, though conceded that the batsman's fall in form over recent months at Test level is a concern.
"It's not foreign that he has been struggling," he added said.
"Maybe it's the mental game he is fighting. Naturally he is a gifted player and he is one score away from turning things around."
Stand-in skipper Latham hails depth power
New Zealand's work in Christchurch was doubly impressive given the absence of Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, with the game the first time the Black Caps have played a Test without them or Ross Taylor for 14 years.
Stand-in captain Tom Latham was quick to hail the strength in reserve on show, adding: "It is testament to the depth in New Zealand cricket that guys who haven't played a lot can step up and come up and perform straight away."
Proteas make unwanted history
Aside from suffering their second-worst loss in Test cricket – behind only their innings and 360 runs loss to Australia in 2002 – South Africa also wrote themselves into some more unwanted record books.
Their result was the biggest margin of defeat suffered by a Test side in the past decade, while no South Africa player individually scored more than New Zealand number 11 Matt Henry did in his lone knock, with 58 – just the fifth time the feat has been achieved.
Bellingham hails 'world-class' Ancelotti after Champions League heroics
Jude Bellingham lauded Carlo Ancelotti for unlocking previously unknown potential in his game as the pair celebrated Champions League success on Saturday.
The England international ended his first season in the Spanish capital with LaLiga and European glory, after the 2-0 victory over Bellingham's former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
A battling victory secured Los Blancos' 15th trophy in Europe's top competition, at least eight more than any other side (Milan, seven), as Ancelotti made further history.
The Italian has won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League more times than any other manager (five), with three of those coming in charge of Madrid.
That is also the joint-most for a manager in charge of a specific team, along with Bob Paisley at Liverpool (three) and Zinedine Zidane, also at Madrid (three).
Bellingham was quick to hail the work of veteran boss Ancelotti before the party started for Madrid in London.
"He has unlocked a part of my game that I didn't know I had," Bellingham told TNT Sports. "That is the thing about world-class coaches, they make you realise how good you can be.
"They test the limits of your potential. It is like being at school again, you learn something new every day and get better and better."
This was the sixth winning campaign for Madrid quadruple Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Nacho in the Champions League, taking them level with Paco Gento (six) as the players who have won the European competition the most times in history.
Working alongside those players comes with its challenges, though, Bellingham says.
The 20-year-old continued: "Special feeling. Some of my team-mates have five or six titles and they said enjoy your first as it's a feeling like no other when you reach the top of the mountain.
"It's important to maintain that level but never forget your first and enjoy it. They were the better team for the majority but it comes down to moments and if you don't kill us, then it will come back to haunt you."
Having celebrated their league and continental double, Madrid could soon welcome the arrival of world-class forward Kylian Mbappe, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires.
With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo usually either side of him up top, Bellingham expressed his excitement over an enticing link-up with the France attacker.
"It would be amazing if a player like him arrived," Bellingham added. "One of the best in the world."
Djokovic labels Musetti thriller as his greatest French Open showing
Novak Djokovic was in the mood for partying after surviving a thriller against Lorenzo Musetti, describing the performance as his greatest French Open showing.
The world number one battled long into the Paris night to secure a 7-5 6-7 (6-8) 2-6 6-3 6-0 victory in four hours and 29 minutes across Saturday and into Sunday.
The third-round marathon finished at 3:08 a.m. local time at Roland-Garros, shattering the tournament's previous latest finish of 1:25 a.m.
This victory also saw Djokovic equal Roger Federer (369) for the most major singles match wins of any male or female player in the Open Era.
"He played a fantastic match and came very close to victory," Djokovic said on court.
"I was in great difficulties but thanks to your support in the fourth set, I became a different player. It was perhaps the best match I have played here."
A stunning fightback also marked Djokovic's 36th five-set win at grand slams – the most of any player in the Open Era.
The 24-time major champion next faces Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo, who advanced to the fourth round for the second consecutive year.
Yet before that, the Serbian wanted to celebrate.
"Who's going to sleep now?" Djokovic added. "It's impossible to sleep, so much adrenaline. If you're having a party, I'm coming."
Djokovic must reach the final in the French capital to remain at the top of the ATP rankings, though Jannik Sinner would overtake him regardless if he reaches the showpiece.
West Indies can rekindle magic of 2012 and 2016 at T20 World Cup, says Pooran
Nicholas Pooran says West Indies are desperate to recapture the magic of 2012 and 2016 at this year's T20 World Cup, as they target a third title at the tournament.
The Windies are one of only two teams, alongside England (2010 and 2022) to win multiple 20-over world crowns, having gone back-to-back when now-head coach Daren Sammy was captain in 2012 and 2016.
They will co-host this year's tournament alongside the United States, with Papua New Guinea their opponents for their opening Group C match on Sunday.
West Indies failed to advance beyond the first round when Pooran was skipper at the 2022 tournament, finishing bottom of a group containing Zimbabwe, Ireland and Scotland.
Pooran is no longer captain, having passed that honour onto Rovman Powell, but he is determined to play a part in bringing back the feel-good factor.
"Coming back in here after two years, everybody wants to get that special feeling we had when we won those two T20 World Cups," Pooran told ESPNcricinfo.
"I feel like everybody wants that moment again. They want to be a part of that winning feeling. Doing it in front of our fans is even more special."
Pooran's 1,848 T20I runs are the most accumulated by any player to make the Windies' squad for this year's World Cup, as are his 88 T20I matches played.
He is certain they have improved since the last edition of the tournament, adding: "We all have grown as players, as team-mates as well.
"When we played in Australia where we didn't qualify, everyone was hurt. I resigned from captaincy after that. Everyone was hurt, but we are no longer that group of guys.
"We all know what's at stake here. We all know that we have an opportunity to redeem ourselves, to make our cricket fans in the Caribbean and our cricket fans all over the world proud of us.
"This time around we are much better players as well. Most of our guys that play franchise cricket, they understand what is needed to be a professional."
Pooran enters the tournament after scoring 499 runs in this season's Indian Premier League for Lucknow Super Giants.
He scored those runs at a superb average of 62.37, which was the best mark achieved by any player, and had a strike-rate of 178.21, helped by smashing 36 sixes.
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