SA v NZ, 2nd Test Preview: Both teams aim at an one-off shot for series honors

South Africa and New Zealand will go out at the SupersSport Park, Centurion with an aim of winning the series in an one-match tussle for the series honors. The first Test of the two-match series failed to produce any result with rains and poor outfield eating up three days of play. The weather at the Centurion, however, does not threaten the game as the forecast predicts a bright sunny weather for the next five days. The venue has been a fortress for the home team with South Africa winning 16 out of the 21 Tests they have played here.

South Africa:

The upcoming match is of great importance for the Proteas considering that they have never lost a Series to the Kiwis.  Apart from this piece of fact, there seem to be no pressure whatsoever on the home side. They will be really happy with the kind of rhythm their frontline bowlers Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander showed in the Durban washout.

The batting order had the starts but could not make it count. Openers Stephen Cook and Dean Elgar gave away an early advantage to the visitors while the JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis failed to hold the middle order. However, Hashim Amla and Temba Bavuma handled the Kiwi bowlers greatly to show their colleagues how to apply pressure on the opposition.

Probable XI:

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (C), Dean Elgar, Stephen Cook, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (WK), Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn, Dane Piedt.

New Zealand:

The bowlers will hope to put up a more effective performance at the SuperSport Park. While their show wasn’t below par, they certainly should have come better on the pace-friendly track at Durban. New Zealand failed to do in 87.5 overs which Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander did in their short 12 overs spell of swing bowling.

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They need to try and put up stronger performance at Centurion considering the fact that the current venue is not expected to as pacer friendly as Durban was. Trent Boult and Neil Wagner’s success should give them immense confidence. Although the batting order wasn’t tested properly, the openers completely struggled against pace and swing.

They were reduced to 15 for 2 straightaway at the start before rains came to their rescue. This definitely warns them of the kind of challenge they will have to face playing against the lethal Proteas bowling attack.

Probable XI:

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (C), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (WK), Mitchell Santner, Doug Bracewell, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

Match starts at 13:30 IST

Telecast on Ten 1 & Ten 1 HD