Home-advantage dilemma for New Zealand

New Zealand have conceded that they will not be able to exploit any home advantage in the ongoing Test series against South Africa, because that would be playing into the opposition's hands. As a result, the green, grassy surfaces that become New Zealand's preference over the last few summers - particularly against subcontinent sides - have been tamed and slower surfaces are being prepared instead, much to South Africa's surprise.

"We haven't played on wickets like this in New Zealand before. I don't know if it's a genuine tactic from New Zealand or if it's just how the wickets have changed," Faf du Plessis said. "All the times we've been playing here, wickets have been green and over the last two years, New Zealand wickets have been pretty similar to the look of our wickets with seam and swing and then when the sun comes out you can score some nice runs. Conditions have surprised us."

In particular, the amount of turn has caught South Africa, who packed their squad with six seam options for the trip, off guard. "Coming to New Zealand our plan was normally we don't need two spinners in these conditions but obviously conditions have changed a lot and now we think New Zealand will prepare conditions for spin," du Plessis said.

For that reason, South Africa are contemplating adding to their spin contingent, which only includes one specialist, Keshav Maharaj, for the third Test at Seddon Park. One of Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Piedt or even Imran Tahir, who has not played a Test since the tour of India in 2015, may be called up to join the group, depending on how things go at the Basin Reserve this week. Wellington is likely to be the place with the most bounce and carry, but that's not saying much because locals still predict it will be relatively flat by South African standards.

New Zealand may also specifically ask for less grass, as New Zealand coach Mike Hesson confirmed they did for the fourth one-dayer in Hamilton. Apart from that, he maintained they are not making any special requests and leaving it up to the weather to dictate conditions. "You don't get quick pitches in New Zealand generally at this time of year. Our one-day pitches normally have a bit more pace and I think that's just due to the amount of rain we have had," Hesson said. "But I don't think ideally we want to play South Africa on a seamer-friendly surface and it's also not like we want to play on surfaces that are barren, because there is reverse swing and that's something South Africa are exceptionally good at. The first innings here [in Dunedin] when we were going quite nicely, reverse swing definitely played a role."

Despite scoring rates being slow in the first Test, Kane Williamson gave the Dunedin pitch and it's new groundsman, Mike Davies, a pass mark. "I thought he did a very good job. It was on the slower side, which is to be expected. We all saw it shaping up to have an exciting finish so looking at those things, it was a good cricket wicket," Williamson had said.

Like Hesson, Williamson is also not putting too fine a point on conditions, and is concentrating on the quality of the contest instead. "In some countries it's [home advantage] probably more relevant than others. A number of the South African players are very experienced and have played here before and the characteristics of the ground in this part of the world don't change too drastically," he said. "But playing at home, you play here more than anyone else. There's a natural thing where you are a little bit more comfortable but we have pretty fair playing fields and I think it's a good recipe for good cricket."

So how then, do New Zealand plan on making the fact that they are at home work for them? "I don't think you do. You just try and play better cricket," Hesson said.