If, as the Proteas’s research would suggest, the Hagley Oval in Christchurch is fast and bouncy they won’t be too perturbed because those are conditions the South Africans are accustomed to and enjoy.
Both teams have the pace armoury to thrive in such conditions, even if, in New Zealand’s case they will be without one of the spearhead’s of the attack, Trent Boult for the first Test next week. Boult will be at his wife’s side for the birth of the couple’s second child.
However the Kiwis still have Tim Southee and his 329 Test wickets, Neil Wagner with 235 wickets, Kyle Jamieson, who’s taken 22 wickets at Hagley in three Tests and the raw pace of Matt Henry which will all be a threat for the South African batters.
Situated in Hagley Park, a vast open area close to the city centre, the cricket ground is just one part of park that includes the botanical gardens and a small golf course. For New Zealand, which played it’s first Test there in 2014, it’s been a stronghold where the Black Caps have lost just once - to Australia - and registered seven wins in nine matches.
For South Africa, fresh off a series win against India, it will be another tricky examination of the upward curve they’ve been on lately. “ It’s a great test for us to match ourselves and compare ourselves to a team that is playing at their peak at the moment,” said Proteas captain Dean Elgar.
It was Elgar who led that turnaround against India’s powerful attack, producing one of the all time great innings to help South Africa win the second Test at the Wanderers. New Zealand’s bowling unit, even without Boult, is one of the game’s best and presents a different challenge to the one provided by the fiery Indians. “I say this with respect, but the New Zealand attack is down on pace compared to the Indian attack. In saying that they execute their skills perfectly in their own conditions. The venue where we’re playing is the quickest wicket in the country, it’s known fort its pace and bounce, and of late their record has been brilliant from a bowling point of view.”
The stats bare that out; New Zealand have scored totals of over 500 there three times, but only Australia and Sri Lanka have hit totals over 400. Meanwhile the rest of the time New Zealand’s bowlers have dominated. Jamieson’s taken three five-fors there, Southee two, Wagner and Colin de Grandhomme, who was recalled to the squad for the series with the Proteas, one each.
For all the success of the South African batting unit, in difficult conditions against the excellent indian attack, they will know that New Zealand will be tough. In addition the Proteas are without the star of that Indian series triumph, Keegan Petersen, who contracted Covid just before the team departed.
Elgar re-emphasised that Sarel Erwee, Petersen’s KwaZulu Natal teammate, remained his favourite to take over at no.3 ahead of the Zubayr Hamza, who took Petersen’s place in the squad. “Sarel has been with us for a long period of time. He’s served us brilliantly as a12th man, he’s a great team guy and carried a lot of energy throughout. From a respect point of view, I believe there is a pecking order, I’d say Sarel is ahead of Zubby.”
The 32 year old Erwee has been a mainstay for the KZN Dolphins in recent seasons, and has accompanied the Proteas on their last few tours to Pakistan and West Indies. When he has returned to his province or played for the SA A side, he has shown outstanding consistency. Erwee is averaging 86.00 in three innings for the Dolphins this season, with a fifty and one century to his name. In addition to that he made two half-centuries against India A last December.
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