New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner echoed similar thoughts, revealing that his side would also have opted to bowl first. Reflecting on their previous outing, Santner admitted New Zealand were “a bit rusty” and credited South Africa for their strong performance, while expressing hope for an improved showing.
The pitch at the venue has visible live grass, promising some early movement for seamers. Overall, it appears to be a typical New Zealand surface, likely to offer assistance to bowlers upfront before becoming more batting-friendly later.
Teams:
South Africa (Playing XI): Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen(w), Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, Wiaan Mulder, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj(c), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman
New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Tom Latham(w), Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears