The South Africa cricket team toured New Zealand in February 2024 to play two Test matches.[1][2] The Test matches formed part of 2023–2025 ICC World Test Championship.[3]
| South African cricket team in New Zealand in 2023–24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 | ||
| New Zealand | South Africa | ||
| Dates | 4 – 17 February 2024 | ||
| Captains | Tim Southee | Neil Brand | |
| Test series | |||
| Result | New Zealand won the 2-match series 2–0 | ||
| Most runs | Kane Williamson (403) | David Bedingham (268) | |
| Most wickets | William O’Rourke (9) |
Neil Brand (8) Dane Piedt (8) | |
| Player of the series | Kane Williamson (NZ) | ||
The series was contested for the Tangiwai Shield.[4] The trophy commemorated the tragic events of 1953,[5] when 151 people on the train from Wellington to Auckland on Christmas eve - including Nerissa Love, the fiancé of New Zealand fast bowler Bob Blair - lost their lives in the rail disaster.[6] The disaster coincided with the second Test between New Zealand and South Africa,[7] where Bob Blair was playing the match.[8]
Going into the series, South Africa had never lost a Test series against New Zealand,[9] in 17 meetings.[10]
New Zealand won the first Test by 281 runs.[11] New Zealand also won the second Test by 7 wickets,[12] and went on to win the series 2–0.[13] It was the first time New Zealand won a Test series against South Africa.[14]
Squads
edit New Zealand[15]
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 South Africa[16]
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In December 2023, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced an understrength Test team for the tour, composed of players with little or no Test cricket experience, in order to allow their best players to remain in South Africa to compete in the SA20 (a domestic Twenty20 franchise tournament). The decision was widely criticised.[17][18] Former Australian captain Steve Waugh was particularly critical, stating his opinion that Test cricket was in danger of no longer being the highest format of the game as the best players were incentivised to play Twenty20 because of better pay.[19]
On 16 January 2024, Edward Moore was added to South Africa's squad.[20]
New Zealand's William O'Rourke was only selected for the second Test.[21]
On 8 February 2024, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell was ruled out of the second Test due to an injury.[22]
Tour match
editTest series
edit1st Test
edit4–7 February 2024
Scorecard |
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- South Africa won the toss and elected to field.
- Neil Brand, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin, Edward Moore, Tshepo Moreki and Raynard van Tonder (SA) all made their Test debuts.
- Neil Brand captained South Africa for the first time in Tests.[23]
- Tshepo Moreki (SA) became the 24th cricketer to take a wicket with his first ball in his first Test.[24]
- Kane Williamson (NZ) scored his 30th and 31st centuries in Tests.[25][26] He became the fifth New Zealand player to score centuries in both innings of a Test match.[27]
- Rachin Ravindra (NZ) scored his first hundred and first double hundred in Tests.[28][29]
- Rachin Ravindra's score of 240 was the highest individual score as a maiden test hundred for New Zealand.[30]
- Neil Brand (SA) became the 25th South African to take five wickets on Test debut.[31] His 6/119 were the best figures for a captain in his debut Test,[32] and for a South African spinner on his Test debut.[33]
- World Test Championship points: New Zealand 12, South Africa 0
2nd Test
edit13–16 February 2024
Scorecard |
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- South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
- William O'Rourke (NZ) and Shaun von Berg (SA) both made their Test debuts.
- David Bedingham (SA) scored his first century in Tests.[34]
- William O'Rourke (NZ) became the tenth New Zealand player to take a five–wicket haul on Test debut. His match figures of 9/93 were the best for a New Zealand bowler on his Test debut.[35]
- New Zealand won their first ever Test series against South Africa.
- World Test Championship points: New Zealand 12, South Africa 0
References
edit- ^ "New Zealand to host South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh this summer". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
- ^ "Black Caps wicketkeeper Tom Blundell still sidelined ahead of test squad naming". Stuff. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Men's Future Tours Programme" (PDF). International Cricket Council. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Tangiwai Shield, commemorating 1953 rail disaster, to go to winners of NZ vs SA Test series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Black Caps-South Africa to compete for poignant new shield". Stuff. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Tangiwai Shield to be unveiled". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Tangiwai Shield to commemorate 1953 rail disaster". RNZ. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Black Caps and South Africa to play for Tangiwai Shield". 1 News. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "Williamson 'under no illusions' over 'tough contest' against South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Favourites, underdogs, and a contest where every inch will be earned". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Jamieson, Santner bowl NZ to victory after Williamson's twin centuries and Ravindra's 240". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "Kane Williamson guides Black Caps to series sweep over South Africa". Stuff. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Williamson century guides New Zealand to crucial World Test Championship victory". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Williamson ton leads New Zealand to their first Test series win over South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Ravindra set for new Test role | O'Rourke earns maiden Test squad selection". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Neil Brand captains makeshift South Africa Test squad to New Zealand". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Moonda, Firdose (30 December 2023). "A South Africa Test squad with just seven capped players". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Gallan, Daniel (30 August 2023). "South African cricket's Faustian pact keeps the lights on, but at a price". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Conn, Malcolm (1 January 2024). "'They don't care': Steve Waugh slams cricket bosses over farcical South Africa test squad to face Black Caps". Stuff. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ "Edward Moore added to South Africa Test squad for New Zealand tour". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Mitchell ruled out of second South Africa Test and Australia T20Is". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Key Black Cap Mitchell out for four weeks with foot injury". RNZ. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Underdog tag a 'motivation' for new-look South Africa's captain Brand". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Black Caps under pressure as Moreki makes history for South Africa". 1 News. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Centurions Williamson, Ravindra add unbeaten 219 as New Zealand dominate Day 1". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Red-hot Williamson puts the stamp on NZ's day again". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ "Kane Williamson narrowly misses Tendulkar's record but knocks off multiple milestones with twin tons vs South Africa". Hindustan Times. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand vs South Africa: Kane Williamson century leaves behind Virat Kohli, Bradman; maiden ton for Rachin Ravindra". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "NZ vs SA: Rachin Ravindra becomes 4th New Zealand batter to turn his maiden Test hundred into double hundred". India Today. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Double Test ton for Rachin Ravindra". New Zealand Cricket. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Proteas lose four wickets after Ravindra dominates for Black Caps". Times Live. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Brand breaks Durjoy's 24-year-old record". The Daily Star. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "NZ vs SA: South Africa's Neil Brand impresses on debut, breaks array of records in Mount Maunganui Test". India Today. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ "Will O'Rourke takes record haul as Black Caps eye series win over South Africa". Stuff. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Bedingham century and O'Rourke five-for leave contest in the balance". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 February 2024.