South Africa is trailing 0-1 down in the two-match Test series. The visitors need their batters to step up after a poor show in the first Test match.
New Zealand will be roaring again to go in the second Test match, which will start tomorrow at their favorite venue. After dominating the first Test match, the Kiwis will look to crush the Proteas and take the series by a margin of two-nil. The record of New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch also makes them a favorite to win this Test match and the series.
The pacers ripped the South African batters apart. Matt Henry took career-best figures to bundle out South Africa for just 95 runs in their first innings. Matt Henry took seven fer in the first innings, and he picked up nine wickets overall in the game. In reply to South Africa’s poultry score of 95 runs, the Kiwis batted once and drove the visitors away from this match.
Matt Henry had a match to remember. He was equally good with the bat after he picked up seven wickets in the first innings with the ball. Matt Henry scored unbeaten 58 runs, and Tom Blundell scored 96 runs. But he missed his well-deserved ton by just four runs. Tom Blundell will look to get the three-figure mark in the last and the final Test match.
Henry Nicholas scored a brilliant 106 runs, which had set up the game for the home side. New Zealand will want Nicholas to continue his blazing form in the second Test as well. These three performances from the Kiwi batters have given the hope that they would make up for the loss of losing the big names in New Zealand’s cricket.
On the other hand, South Africa will forget about their performance from the first Test match. They struggled as a unit, and they looked lost not only in batting. But in all three departments. The visitors put up 95 runs in the first innings and 111 runs in the second, which is nowhere the total scored by New Zealand batters.
To make it worse, their five bowlers conceded more than 100 runs each, and they couldn’t pick up more than three wickets in the match. The fielders, too, rubbed salt on their wounds by dropping seven catches in a single innings, which the hosts (New Zealand) batted. Overall this South African team didn’t look like the same team that won the Test and ODI series against India last month.
South Africa was also trailed by 0-1 in that three-match Test series. But in the second Test match, the captain led from the front and gave South Africa a memorable win at the Wanders Stadium in Johannesburg. The visitors need something like that again to square this two-match Test series.
The batters need to come good. They cannot be 4/3 inside the first five overs and expect a miracle that too against a quality seam attack of New Zealand. The Proteas need to rethink their batting order and see where the runs can come. Dropping Aiden Markram in place of Ryan Rickelton doesn’t make any sense because of the experience that Aiden has with him instead of a newbie Rickelton.
The visitors should find a way back in the series. Talking about the fightback, South Africa has just won only one two-match Test series from 37 matches after losing the opening encounter. They are up against a quality team who rarely loses a Test match at home. The Proteas should be on their toes to crush the Kiwis in their backyard.
The South African lost the first Test by a margin of second-heaviest defeat, and it was a completely one-sided contest where New Zealand was too hot to handle. The huge task lies with the visitors to cause an upset against a good team like New Zealand. They should do it, at least for the fans who think the Test matches are boring.
Match Details –
Match – South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022: New Zealand Vs South Africa – 2nd Test Match
Venue – Hagley Oval in Christchurch
Date – Friday, 25th February 2022 to 1st March 2022.
Match Timings – 3.30 AM IST and 11 PM Local.
Toss Timings – 3 AM IST and 10.30 PM Local.
TV Channels – Spark Sports TV, Super Sports TV, Sony Six, Sony TEN 1, and Sony TEN 3.
Live Streaming – Amazon Prime and SonyLiv app in India.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match – Match Probable XI of New Zealand
Trent Boult will miss the second Test match. The Kiwi pace bowler is on paternity leave. The home side will be unchanged after dominating and winning the first test match, which is being played at the same venue.
Tom Latham (C), Will Young, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match: Probable XI of South Africa
Aiden Markam is South Africa seasoned opening batter. But he has failed to perform, and he might not keep his place intact for the second and last Test match against New Zealand. Ryan Rickelton might replace the opener at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The visitors also need to include Wiaan Mulder, who can give the depth in batting, and Lungi Ngidi, who was in good form in the Test series against India.
Dean Elgar (C), Sarel Erwee, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, Temba Bavuma, Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne/Ryan Rickelton, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Glenton Stuurman, Duanne Olivier/Lungi Ngidi.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match – Pitch Report
The pitch at Hagley Oval is good for the seam bowlers. That is why South Africa should include Lungi Ngidi for the second Test match. He can make the ball talk on this surface. Wiaan Mulder can also be brought in because he can bat and provides the extra pace option for the visitors.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match – Weather Report
The weather in Christchurch has bright sunshine. The forecast says it will be suitable for a good cricket match.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match – Head to Head Stat
Overall Figures between NZ Vs RSA
- Matches – 46 Tests
- South Africa won 25
- New Zealand won Five
New Zealand Vs South Africa in Hagley Oval in Christchurch –
- Matches played One
- South Africa won 0
- New Zealand won 1
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match – Fantasy Batsmen
Dean Elgar – The South African skipper needs to step up as he did against India at Wanders Stadium in Johannesburg. He can be the player to watch out for, especially after his unbeaten heroics innings in the second Test match against Virat and co. South Africa lost the 1st Test match. But the innings from Dean Elgar allowed SA to win the second Test, and it was a come-from-behind win for the Proteas to win the series . Elgar needs to repeat that kind of an innings for South Africa in his crisis situation.
Tom Blundell – The skipper of New Zealand has a good team which won the one-sided affair in the first Test match. But he cannot take the Proteas lightly. They can make a comeback through the elegant and gusty Elgar. Blundell missed his ton just by four runs in the last Test match. Now he needs to repay that in this Test and allow the home side to seal the series.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test – Fantasy Bowlers
Matt Henry – The Kiwi pace bowler ripped the Proteas apart with his classy bowling. He picked up seven wickets in the 1st innings and got two in the second innings. New Zealand will want him to continue his excellent form without their premier bowler Trent Boult. Henry has a chance of cementing his place in the side even when Trent Boult comes back. Now Henry has a chance to show how consistent he is. He can put South Africa under the mat through his all-around skills.
Marco Jansen – The Proteas bowlers earned a good name in the Test and ODI series against India. He can look dangerous on the pitch, which will offer a lot to the pace bowlers. Jansen looked good against India, and South Africa will want him to continue that dominance against New Zealand in the second and the final test match. Jansen picked up just two wickets in the 1st Test match. But he is required to pick up more to help the Proteas to level the series.
South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test – Fantasy Team
Batsman – Dean Elgar, Henry Nicholas, and Devon Conway.
Bowlers – Marco Jansen, Tim Southee, and Matt Henry.
All Rounders – Wiaan Mulder and Colin De Grandhomme.
Vice-Captain – Will Young
Wicketkeeper – Ryan Rickelton.
Captain – Tom Blundell.
Predictions – South Africa Tour of New Zealand 2022; New Zealand Vs South Africa 2nd Test Match
New Zealand is the favorite to win the second Test match against South Africa. The Kiwis were ruthless in the first match, and they will continue that similar form in this match.
