Battle of bowlers in series decider

August 27-31, 2016
Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)

This is South African cricket's week to find out what the country's other two big sports experience all the time. Rugby and football are used to one-off encounters with other countries.

Although the cricket teams have spoken about the winner-takes-all fixture in slightly different tones, with New Zealand calling it "exciting" and South Africa admitting it "definitely" adds to the pressure of the occasion, they both agreed that more matches would be better. Faf du Plessis explained how a three or four match rubber would allow for a better ebb and flow, and Trent Boult said he wanted to test himself against the best for longer periods of time.

They will both have to wait until March next year to meet again. This series will be decided on the next five days. At least, they could not have asked for a better place for the crunch clash.

SuperSport Park has laid out a green carpet, with a re-laid outfield that will not pose the same problems as Durban's because it underwent the process much earlier. The pitch underwent almost three weeks of preparation and the groundsman predicts an even, if slower than usual, contest between bat and ball. The Highveld winter, meanwhile, has reached its balmiest stage, the one that would be called summer in many parts of the world.

Du Plessis expected the contest to be between "two high quality," bowling attacks, who he said left Durban happy, which puts both line-ups under pressure. South Africa did not apply themselves as well as they wanted to in the opener, New Zealand did not get the chance to apply themselves at all. Whoever does it better this time, will take the series.

Victory for South Africa will see them climb a place on the Test rankings to No.6 while a win for New Zealand, who will remain at No.5 regardless of the result, will give them a first-ever series triumph over South Africa.

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: DWLDL
New Zealand: DWWLL

South Africa's new opener Stephen Cook scored a century on debut at SuperSport Park in January and will want another big performance to cement his place at the top of the order for the rest of the Test summer. Cook played out the first hour of the Durban Test with Dean Elgar before falling to a delivery he was forced to play at from Boult. Cook has a solid technique but will want to get more on the front foot to assert himself on New Zealand's attack.

Before moving to New Zealand Neil Wagner played his domestic cricket in Pretoria but, like everyone else, he would not have played it in winter. Conditions will be as alien to him as to both camps but his team-mates are still hoping to tap into his knowledge of the ground as they go in search of South African wickets. Wagner's short ball could be one of their key weapons, even on a surface that may not have as much bounce and carry as usual. He showed in Bulawayo that he could still use the strategy with success and will want to show it at his former home ground.

South Africa are considering some changes based on conditions, which du Plessis summed up as a soft and moist. They are toying with the idea of playing an extra seamer or an allrounder, which could bring Wayne Parnell into the team, ahead of either Dane Piedt or JP Duminy. Should Duminy miss out, it would leave South Africa a batsman short; there may not be enough room for Stiaan van Zyl - the only reserve batsman in the squad.

South Africa (possible): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stephen Cook, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 JP Duminy/Wayne Parnell, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Dane Piedt

New Zealand, on the other hand, are likely to go in with the same team from the Durban Test.

New Zealand(possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult

If you are nervous about the chances of play after what happened in Durban, you can exhale. Although SuperSport Park's outfield, like Kingsmead's was relaid, the work in Centurion took place in April, more than two months before it did in Durban. In the days leading up to the match, the outfield appeared lush, with its new winter grass coating promising to help the ball to the boundary. All the focus on the outfield has taken eyes off the pitch, which is likely to be less lively than a traditional Centurion strip, although du Plessis said he spotted some moisture. Beautiful days are forecast for all five days, with temperatures in the high 20s and cloudless skies.

"The great thing for us is that we've got a great record here; so we can rely on that and have the confidence of going into a match knowing that we play well on this ground. We trust that."
Faf du Plessis is banking on home advantage in the Centurion Test

"It's not looked at very closely. It's about us playing our cricket, improving and learning."
Kane Williamson on the prospect of winning a first-ever series in South Africa