(Reuters) -South Africa captain Dean Elgar gained the toss and elected to bat first in the second and ultimate test towards New Zealand in Christchurch on Friday because the vacationers shook up their beginning 11 to attempt to save the sequence.
New Zealand lead 1-0 after beating South Africa by an innings and 276 runs in the first test in Christchurch.
South Africa made three modifications, bringing in all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, spinner Keshav Maharaj and paceman Lutho Sipamla.
They changed batsman Zubayr Hamza, who was dominated out with a fractured thumb, and tempo bowlers Duanne Olivier and Glenton Stuurman.
Out-of-form quantity three Aiden Markram was spared the axe, although.
“It’s necessary for us to entrance up,” Elgar mentioned at Hagley Oval.
“The wicket appears loads higher than the first test.
“It’s perhaps not a nasty factor to entrance up as a batting unit and hopefully get a good goal.”
New Zealand, lacking captain Kane Williamson and tempo spearhead Trent Boult, caught with the identical 11 that had been dominant in the series-opener as they give the impression of being to finish their first ever sequence win over the Proteas.
“We would’ve bowled as properly,” mentioned stand-in captain Tom Latham.
“The problem is to try to again up that (first) efficiency, we all know South Africa are going to be at their finest.”
While a draw will probably be sufficient for New Zealand to win the sequence, victory would see them dislodge Australia because the world’s primary test facet, whereas shoring up their World Test Championship defence with most factors.
Teams:
New Zealand – Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Will Young.
South Africa – Dean Elgar (captain), Temba Bavuma, Sarel Erwee, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Lutho Sipamla, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Ed Osmond)
