- South Africa dominated game one
- Match odds market has not adjusted to SA power
- Seddon Park has been good for batting
- Visitor's totla match runs are cheap
- Robinson and De Zorzi solid follows
- For Betfair's latest cricket betting odds click here
Click here New Zealand v South Africa odds...
Tuesday 17 March, 06.15
TV: Live on Sky Sports
New Zealand v South Africa team news
New Zealand were heavily beaten by South Africa in game one by eight wickets. Although both have picked reserve teams, there did appear to be a gulf in experience between the two sides.
That will be reduced slightly if Lockie Ferguson plays. He was due to be added to the squad for game two. Ish Sodhi likewise but he has been withdrawn.
Tom Latham was a surprise inclusion as Devon Conway's opening partner in game one. That shunted down Tim Robinson to No 3, which seemed a strange decision as they desperately need firepower in the first six overs.
Possible NZ XI: Conway, Latham, Robinson, Kelly, Jacobs, Santner, Neesham, McConchie, Foulkes, Jamieson, Sears
South Africa's pace attack was too hot to handle for New Zealand. Nqobani Mokoena took three wickets while it was good to see Gerald Coetzee (hampered by injury) return to the fold with two wickets. Ottniel Baartman chipped in with two wickets.
Well led by Keshav Maharaj, South Africa looked a cut above in razing the Kiwis for just 91. Their batting order is packed with hitters although it might be an idea to split Tony de Zorzi and Connor Esterhuizen in the opening pair for a more destructive option.
Possible SA XI: De Zorzi, Esterhurizen, R Hermann, Forrester, Smith, J Hermann, Linde, Coetzee, Maharaj, Baartman, Mokoena
New Zealand v South Africa pitch report
There have been four T20i played at Sedon Park this decade. New Zealand have won three with one tie. The most recent was in 2024 with the home team's 194 proving too good for Pakistan, who replied with 173. It should be decent for batting but there will be nervousness considering New Zealand's awful effort in the first match.
Surely they are capable of batting well enough to make South Africa's total match runs line of 158.5 prove to be as cheap as it appears?
The first innings scores in the previous three were 210, 163 and 179. The six tallies (most recent first) have been 21, 12, 12 and 18. The latter stat is important as there is often a belief that these Kiwi grounds are small. That small study sample doesn't mean we'll be rushing to back overs at 8/111.73 for 12.5.
New Zealand v South Africa match prediction
New Zealand are 1.684/6 with South Africa 2.588/5. That's a big gulf between two reserve teams and the adjustment from the first match is minor, New Zealand being pushed out by 0.10 clicks.
Game one proved that this should be a choice affair at the very least. Making New Zealand favourites is perhaps understandable due to home advantage but not by the margin to make them hot favourites.
As stated before, South Africa more than match New Zealand for experience. Indeed, in a parallel universe the likes of Gerald Coetzee, one of the Hermann brothers and de Zorzi could have easily joined Maharaj and George Linde in the World Cup squad.
Backing South Africa, then, is absolutely fine on the basis that they should be much shorter. And if they bat first on what could be a flat one after a hot day, they could have these odds flipped by the break.
Back South Africa
New Zealand v South Africa player tips
de Zorzi is chunky for top SA bat at 4/15.00. Normally the biggest price one would expect for a batter in the top two is 7/24.50. de Zorzi is terrifically talented and more than capable of delivering a big score here. For New Zealand, Robinson's performance line (1pt per run, 10 per catch, 20 per wicket) is of interest at overs 22.5 at 4/51.80. That's what we might expect to pay on runs only. Like de Zorzi he is more than capable at this level and is perhaps unfortunate that Tim Seifert and Finn Allen have dovetailed brilliantly of late. Robinson has beaten the line in seven of his last ten.