NZ vs SA 1st Test Match Prediction & Betting Tips
The two Test series between New Zealand and South Africa gets underway in Mount Maunganui on Sunday morning with both games forming part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship. This will be the first time the sides have played Test cricket against each other since February 2022 when the series finished 1-1. Read on as we preview this opening Test. The game begins at the Bay Oval at 11:00 local time.
New Zealand have selected their strongest possible squad for this series and they should be too strong for this South African side. The return of Kane Williamson will add further strength to an already consistent batting line-up and their pacers are all excellent in home conditions.
South Africa may not have brought all of their Test stars for this series but instead they have a group of hungry players desperate to make a mark at this level. We expect to see plenty of enthusiasm and application in this match but getting a win may be a tough task.
New Zealand vs South Africa 1st Test Match Live Streaming
TV channels: This game will be broadcast on TNT Sports
Live Streaming: You can live-stream the match on Amazon Prime Video.
NZ vs SA Match Toss Prediction
With sunny conditions forecast throughout this Test, we expect both sides to want to bat first and get to use the best possible batting conditions early in the game.
NZ vs SA Pitch Report
This is typically a good batting pitch for three days before it starts to deteriorate. A par score in the first innings will be around 400 runs.
Mount Maunganui Weather Report
No rain is forecast for the entire five days of this Test and there may even not be a cloud either! The temperature will be in the mid-high twenties throughout this match.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for New Zealand vs South Africa 1st Test 2024
New Zealand Team News & Playing 11
NZ Team News
Although Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson and Tom Blundell are all coming back from injuries, all three are expected to be fit enough to play this Test at the Bay Oval. There are no other injury worries in the squad ahead of this opening game of the series.
NZ Key Players
- Kane Williamson- the former skipper has made three centuries from his last four innings in Test cricket in New Zealand with one of them a double!
- Daryl Mitchell- the batting all-rounder is New Zealand’s highest run scorer across all formats over the last four years and he will play in a very attacking manner.
- Tim Southee- the captain and opening bowler will pitch the ball up and give it every chance to swing. He comes into this Test with 374 wickets in the format.
- Mitchell Santner- the spin bowling all-rounder plays a crucial role for the Black Caps across all formats. His batting has come on a great deal over recent years and he is three dismissals from 50 Test wickets.
NZ Team Form
New Zealand come into this opening Test of the series looking for their fifth Test win from their last six games.
New Zealand Predicted Playing 11
Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee (c), Neil Wagner
South Africa Team News & Playing 11
SA Team News
Due to the ongoing SA20 tournament back home, and the refusal of New Zealand Cricket to reschedule this series, South Africa have arrived at the Bay Oval with a 15-man squad which includes eight players yet to appear at Test level including their captain Neil Brand.
SA Key Players
- Keegan Petersen- the 30 year old has batted 21 times in Test cricket and hit four half-centuries from seven innings during a particularly strong period in 2022. He will be desperate to return to that form in this match.
- David Bedingham- the middle order batter made his Test debut during the Boxing Day Test against India and he has already shown that he has the technique and the patience for this format.
- Dane Paterson- the 34 year old received both of his previous two Test caps against England at home in early 2020. He has 17 international wickets and will enjoy this pitch in Mount Maunganui.
- Duanne Olivier- the right-arm fast medium bowler has an impressive 59 Test wickets from just 15 games but last played in this format in April 2022.
SA Team Form
South Africa had won three Tests in a row before they lost to India in the New Year’s Test this January.
South Africa Predicted Playing 11
Keegan Petersen, Zubayr Hamza, Clyde Fortuin (wk), David Bedingham, Neil Brand (c), Raynard van Tonder, Dane Paterson, Shaun von Berg, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Tshepo Moreki
New Zealand vs South Africa Head to Head
South Africa have a strong record against New Zealand in Tests with a 26-5 overall head to head lead. However, both sides thrashed the other in the last series with South Africa levelling the series thanks to a 198 run victory in the second game.
NZ vs SA Head to Head Stats in Tests
| |
Matches Played |
NZ Won |
SA Won |
Tie |
Draw |
| Overall |
47 |
5 |
26 |
0 |
16 |
| Last 5 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
New Zealand vs South Africa Betting Odds
The experience levels in Test cricket of both squads is reflected in the odds from the bookies who have New Zealand as clear favourites at 1.22 and South Africa at 7.50.
Who will win New Zealand vs South Africa 1st Test Match?
Although there are some exciting talents in South Africa’s squad, New Zealand have the players who have performed time and again at this level. The hosts are the clear top team ahead of this opening Test.
🏆 New Zealand vs South Africa Prediction
With South Africa sending a second string side to New Zealand for this series, there is more pressure on the hosts to win than would have been the case previously. We expect South Africa to battle hard in this Test but their batting line-up will certainly never have faced such a strong bowling attack. Our prediction is for New Zealand to win this Test in Mount Maunganui.
New Zealand to beat South Africa
Feb 04 - Feb 07, 2024
03:30 IST / 2:00 GMT
Bay Oval - Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
NZ vs SA 1st Test 
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