NZ vs RSA Match Prediction & Betting Tips - Oct 02, 2023
New Zealand and South Africa will contest a warm-up fixture before the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts. The Proteas and Black Caps currently occupy fourth and sixth position, respectively, in the International Cricket Council's rankings for ODI teams.
The Kiwis beat Pakistan in their first World Cup warm-up fixture, while the South Africans shared a washout with Afghanistan. Let's see what the betting markets and cricket odds have in store for this match between NZ and SA in India.
New Zealand vs South Africa head-to-head record
New Zealand and South Africa have effectively taken it in turns to beat each other in their last five ODI meetings. NZ have three wins to SA's two. They have not played an ODI against each other since 2019. The last three SA-NZ ODIs have been won by the team batting second.
New Zealand vs South Africa live streaming and broadcast
You can watch all Cricket World Cup matches, including the warm-ups, on the Star Sports Network and their streaming app - Disney+ Hotstar. This is available in India and a great way to live stream cricket matches online. The CWC matches will also be broadcast in India on free-to-air channels by Doordarshan.
NZ vs RSA Team Previews
New Zealand
New Zealand will go into this match on the back of some important preparation on the sub-continent. They wrapped up an ODI series win in Bangladesh before travelling to Hyderabad, India, where they beat Pakistan in a World Cup warm-up match.
The Black Caps deployed as many as eight bowlers during the win over Pakistan. Half of those were spinners - and only Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry offered genuine pace. Henry extracted some steep bounce on occasion and Ferguson entered the attack late as NZ's sixth-change option. This offered insight into how they might use their bowlers during the Cricket World Cup.
The Kiwis are still waiting on the match fitness of Tim Southee, who is nursing a thumb injury, but Trent Boult is back in the fold. Boult's presence should quieten concern around Southee's availability. It'll be interesting if they have Boult in the attack for this match against the Proteas.
Batting-wise, New Zealand's middle order looks all the more formidable with Kane Williamson's return. He hit a half-century against Pakistan and was impressive during a big partnership with all-rounder Daryl Mitchell. Rachin Ravindra, meanwhile, seemed entirely composed en route to 97 against Pakistan and could capitalise on that momentum against South Africa.
New Zealand Playing 11
Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Daryl Mitchell.
South Africa
South Africa would have hoped to have gone into this fixture shortly after beating Afghanistan. But that match was washed out without a ball bowled. The personnel combinations and experimentation that was going to happen against the Afghans has had to wait for this match with New Zealand.
The Proteas will remain without captain Temba Bavuma. He has headed home briefly - and will be back after his team's World Cup warm-up matches. Aiden Markram will continue to captain the XI in Bavuma's absence. Fast bowlers Sisanda Magala and Anrich Nortje have been ruled out of the whole tournament.
The late additions of all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo and seamer Lizaad Williams as replacements could prove productive for the Proteas. Williams and Phehlukwayo bring good variations with the ball in conducive conditions, while the latter offers plenty with the bat. Both could play against New Zealand, if they're not going to be in the first-choice XI going forward.
Markram, of course, is in the team primarily as a batter. He can bowl some decent spin, though. Like New Zealand have done with Glenn Phillips and Australia Glenn Maxwell, South Africa might want to squeeze some early overs out of Markram to further understand the extent of their back-up spin resources alongside specialist spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi.
South Africa Playing 11
Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lizaad Williams.
NZ vs RSA Toss Prediction
Test, ODI or T20I cricket has never been played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, but it's a solid venue for this World Cup warm-up fixture and another next week between India and Netherlands. It's probable the captain to win the toss will opt to bat first.
That was the trend in the first two completed warm-up matches of this World Cup, though both decisions did not result in victory. Regardless, the captains will want their batters to get an early feel for conditions - and the bowlers to operate on slowing pitches later.
Read our guide on toss predictions to learn how we analyze and come up with our tips.
Pitch and Conditions
Several pitches in India can deteriorate as the contest goes on - not a lot, but enough to suggest spin will play a big role. Conditions in Thiruvananthapuram will likely bring the same. There could even be good reason to open the bowling with a spinner here.
The 2023 World Cup warm-ups so far have seen totals range from 260-plus to 340-odd. There is plenty of opportunity to score quickly early, when the field is up and the pitch is fresh. A first-innings total of approximately 300 should be considered competitive.
Unfortunately, the wet weather that washed out the warm-up match between Afghanistan and South Africa recently is likely to prevail again. It's unlikely we'll get a full fixture in here. A shortened contest should suit the team batting second.
NZ vs RSA Betting Tips
South Africa are historical underachievers at Cricket World Cups. New Zealand are traditionally the Proteas' bogey opposition. Even though this is a warm-up match and not the real deal yet, the Black Caps should win here, especially if rain has a say in the contest.
Yes, the Proteas recently beat Australia in an ODI series, but that was in South Africa. This is on the sub-continent, where the Kiwis have already beaten Bangladesh and Pakistan. This recent experience, in these conditions, should count for plenty for New Zealand.
New Zealand are still priced as 2.00 underdogs to win this warm-up match, though. South Africa are offered as 1.76 favourites. Betting on the in-form Black Caps could bring strong value.
Bonus Cricket Bets
Markram's last three ODI scores are 93, 8 and 102 not out. He is in fine form and is largely empowered with the bat by the additional responsibility of the captaincy. Betting on Markram to score 50 or more in this match could be a promising pick.
The Black Caps used eight bowlers against Pakistan - and still have Boult in the bank. They're evidently working to a plan and, whether it's Henry, Mitchell or someone else - the Black Caps rather than South Africa will probably have the top wicket-taker in this match.
Mitchell and Williamson had the genuine opportunity to go to three figures against Pakistan, but did not convert. Ravindra almost did it, but fell three runs short. The pitch should be relatively fresh, if a bit underprepared, and it's well worth betting on at least one batter to score a century in the first innings of this match.
Who will win NZ vs RSA
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Match Predictions
Cricket Betting Tips
- Highest opening partnership - India W (1.55) and 1 more BANW vs INDW betting tip
- Total runs in the highest scoring over of the match - Over 22.5 (1.95) and 2 more MI vs SRH betting tips
- Nazmul Hossain Shanto to become the top batter. - 4.10 and 3 more BAN vs ZIM betting tips
- Delhi Capitals to win the toss - 1.90 and 4 more DC vs RR betting tips
We are eager to know what you think of our match predictions, if there is anything we can do better or if you want to let us know your own predictions for the match.