On February 4th, the first test match of the South Africa tour of New Zealand 2024 will be held at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. As the first test match of the series, which is also a part of the ICC World Test Championship, both teams are eager to begin the series on a positive note and gain valuable points towards the championship. In this article, you will find everything you need to know about the New Zealand versus South Africa 1st Test match, including match predictions, player previews, fantasy tips, squads, pitch and weather conditions, venue details, toss prediction, winning prediction, and where to watch it live in India.
Match Winning Probability of New Zealand vs South Africa match
| NZ 50% | RSA 50% |
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Information
| Match | New Zealand vs South Africa Test Series 2024 |
| Venue | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand |
| Date | 4th February, 2024 |
| Match Format | Test |
| Winning Chances | 50-50 |
| Toss Prediction | To Bowl |
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Predictions and Analysis
With an experienced team and home advantage, New Zealand is a clear favourite to win the first test. They have won four of their last five test matches, including a series win against Bangladesh in December 2023. New Zealand also has a good record against South Africa at home, winning two and drawing two of the last five test matches.
Due to the fact that their top players have been engaged in franchise cricket back home, South Africa have sent a second-string team to New Zealand. In the last five test matches, they have only won one and lost three, including a series loss against India in January 2024. Also, they have a poor record against New Zealand away from home. In the last five test matches between the two teams, they have lost three and drawn two.
We predict that New Zealand will win the first test match by a comfortable margin based on recent form, head-to-head record, and team strength.
New Zealand Team Preview
Former captain Kane Williamson is fit again and ready to lead the batting line-up for the first test match, so New Zealand have a full-strength team available. In addition to him, Tom Latham, Will Young, and Daryl Mitchell will also contribute heavily to the team. In the middle order, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra will provide all-round skills, while Tom Blundell will wear the gloves behind the stumps.
As Trent Boult is injured, Tim Southee will captain the bowling attack. He will be supported by the pace duo of Matt Henry and Neil Wagner, who have been among the wickets in the recent matches. Kyle Jamieson, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, will also be in contention for a spot in the playing XI. There will be just one spinner in the squad, Mitchell Santner, who will also play batting.
Key Players to Look for in NZ
Kane Williamson
As a result of a hamstring injury, the star batsman has missed the Bangladesh series. In the last 12 months, he has scored 974 runs in nine test matches for New Zealand, averaging 69.57 runs. As well as his four centuries and three fifties, he has also scored a career-best 251 against West Indies in December 2020. In the first test, he will be the main threat for the South African bowlers and look forward to continuing his prolific form.
Daryl Mitchell
Over the last 12 months, the all-rounder has scored 928 runs in 10 matches at an average of 61.87 with the bat. In addition to three centuries and four fifties, he also scored 204 not out against Bangladesh in December 2023, a career-high score. As well as being a crucial cog in the batting line-up, he will also contribute some medium-pace bowling.
Tim Southee
For the first test match, the veteran seamer will head the bowling attack and lead the team. In the last 12 months, he has taken 32 wickets in 10 matches at an economy rate of 3.05 and a strike rate of 71, making him the most prolific wicket-taker for New Zealand in test cricket. Additionally, he has taken two five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul, including a match-winning 10 for 62 against Sri Lanka in March 2023. In addition to providing some useful runs down the order, he will be a potent new ball and old ball bowler.
South Africa Team Preview
Since all of South Africa’s top players are playing franchise cricket at home, their team is severely depleted for the first test match. There are eight members of the squad that have not made their test debuts, including their captain Neil Brand, shockingly. In terms of test cricket, they have some experience with Khaya Zondo and Keegan Petersen, and David Bedingham is one to watch out for. Tshepo Moreki and Mihlali Mpongwana might make an impact as well as Duanne Olivier and Dane Paterson.
Key Players to Look for in SA
David Bedingham
Over the last 12 months, the right-handed batsman has scored 945 runs in 10 matches at an average of 72.69 and a strike rate of 69.71. He has scored four centuries and three fifties in this period, including a career-best 257 against Cape Cobras in October 2023. The first test match will be his test debut, and he will hope to repeat his domestic success at the international level.
Duanne Olivier
The fast bowler has 48 wickets in 10 matches at an economy rate of 3.46 and a strike rate of 51.6 in the last 12 months, making him the most experienced and successful bowler in the South African squad. This period also saw him take three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul, including a career-best 11 for 96 against Pakistan in January 2023. With his pace and bounce, he will pose a threat to New Zealand batsmen.
Neil Brand
Although he has yet to play a test match, the left-handed batsman and off-spinner will lead the South African team in the first test. During the last 12 months, he has scored 789 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 54.67 and an average of 46.41. Two centuries and four fifties have also been scored by him during this period, including 143 against Warriors in November 2023. With 12 wickets in 10 matches at an economy rate of 2.76 and a strike rate of 86.4 in the last 12 months, he will also provide some spin options for the team.
New Zealand vs South Africa Match Fantasy Tips
In preparation for the 1st test match between New Zealand and South Africa, here are a few tips and suggestions for fantasy players:
Wicketkeeper
With a record of 431 runs in 10 matches at an average of 28.73 and a strike rate of 49.88 in the last 12 months, Tom Blundell is a preferred wicketkeeper choice because he is a reliable batsman and a safe keeper. His career-best 107 against Sri Lanka in March 2023 will earn him extra points, as will his catches and stumpings behind the stumps. He has scored one century and one fifty during this period.
Batsmen
For your fantasy team, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, David Bedingham, and Khaya Zondo should be selected, as all of them are in good form and are capable of scoring big runs. New Zealand’s leading run scorers in the past 12 months, Williamson and Mitchell, are the obvious picks. As they have been prolific in the domestic circuit and have some experience playing in New Zealand conditions, Bedingham and Zondo are the best bets from the South African side.
All-rounders
As all-rounders who offer a lot of value with both bat and ball, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra are ideal for your fantasy team. During the last 12 months, Phillips has scored 427 runs in 10 matches at an average of 30.5 and at a strike rate of 64.32 with an average of 30.5 runs. In addition to one century and one fifty, he scored 136 against Bangladesh in December 2023, a career-best mark. In the last 12 months, Ravindra has also taken 10 wickets with an economy rate of 3.13 and a strike rate of 76.8. Ravindra is a promising young talent who impresses with his left-arm spin and solid batting. In the past 12 months, he has scored 291 runs in 5 matches at an average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 58.16. This period has also included a century and a fifty for him, including a career-best 115 against Bangladesh.
Creating your dream team for this match is easy if you follow these tips:
- On this pitch, top-order batsmen and all-rounders are more likely to score runs and take wickets.
- The most consistent performers for New Zealand in test cricket are Kane Williamson and Tim Southee.
- In South Africa’s recent test series against India, Neil Brand and Dane Paterson scored the most runs and took the most wickets for their team.
- Pacers are expected to be more successful on this pitch, so avoid picking spinners.
New Zealand and South Africa Squads
Here are the full squads of both the teams for the test series:
New Zealand
Tim Southee, Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
South Africa
Neil Brand ©, David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin, Keegan Petersen, Dane Paterson, Mihlali Mpongwana, Tshepo Moreki, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, Lizaad Williams, Zubayr Hamza, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
A good pitch is expected at Bay Oval for batting, with some assistance for fast bowlers as well. At this venue, the average first innings score is 375, while the average second innings score is 317. The highest score at this ground was 715/6 scored by New Zealand against Bangladesh in 2019.
For the match, the weather forecast is mostly sunny, with some clouds and a slight chance of rain on the third day. The temperature will range from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius, while the humidity will be around 70%.
Venue Details
In 2019, Bay Oval hosted its first test match. It has a capacity of 10,000 spectators and offers scenic views of Mount Maunganui and the Pacific Ocean.
Toss Prediction
Since pitch conditions and weather can change over the course of five days, the toss can have a significant impact on the outcome of the match. On the first two days, the pitch is expected to be at its best for batting, so the captain who wins the toss is likely to decide to bat first. With a high first innings total, the team will also be able to put pressure on the opposition.
Winning Prediction
In terms of rankings, form, and talent, both teams are equal. However, New Zealand has an edge over South Africa, since they play at home and have a more experienced squad. Furthermore, New Zealand is ranked third in the World Test Championship, while South Africa is ranked fourth. Thus, we predict a narrow victory for New Zealand in the first test match.
Where to Watch it Live in India
There are two ways you can watch the first test match between South Africa and New Zealand live in India:
You can watch the match live on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 HD, or Star Sports 1 Hindi HD.
The match will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar, the official digital streaming partner of the series.
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