*Official* 2024 South Africa tour of New Zealand: 2 tests

[SteveNZ]

Wait why is the test starting on a Sunday

Yep, I'd like to know that.

This Test is such a letdown. I live within easy distance of Bay Oval, and I hadn't even given thought to attending this - yet last year, I had a plan a year out as to how I'd get to as many days of the D/N Test as I could. And I might go tomorrow, but equally I might not.

It's an unofficial long weekend with Waitangi Day on Tuesday. Still probably would have made more sense for it to start on the Saturday, though.

It is, but surely the Saturday? The Mount will have people, like you say, who come for a long weekend. I don't get it.

As it happens, play would've been on and off today

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Yep, I'd like to know that.

This Test is such a letdown. I live within easy distance of Bay Oval, and I hadn't even given thought to attending this - yet last year, I had a plan a year out as to how I'd get to as many days of the D/N Test as I could. And I might go tomorrow, but equally I might not.



It is, but surely the Saturday? The Mount will have people, like you say, who come for a long weekend. I don't get it.

As it happens, play would've been on and off today

No guarantee that tests go to a 4th day which would be Waitangi if starting on a Saturday and also day 1 would clash with club/school/kids cricket if a Sat start.

Cricket/sports fans will take Monday off to watch the 1st 3 days. Good scheduling imo.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Very weird scheduling. A lot of people will have taken Monday off, so the chance to have a test match on in the background for four days off is a bit of a missed chance.

 

[Prince EWS]

Should burn Ben Stokes' birth certificate and put the ashes in a little urn.

Call it the Stokes-Stokes Trophy and award it to whichever team hit more boundaries in the series.

 

[honestbharani]

Call it the Stokes-Stokes Trophy and award it to whichever team hit more boundaries in the series.

Stokes-Dharmasena Trophy

 

[SteveNZ]

No guarantee that tests go to a 4th day which would be Waitangi if starting on a Saturday and also day 1 would clash with club/school/kids cricket if a Sat start.

Cricket/sports fans will take Monday off to watch the 1st 3 days. Good scheduling imo.

Yeah...but there are a guarantee Tests go to days 1 and 2. That being Saturday/Sunday. As it stands, you get Sunday, Monday that apparently some people might make into a long weekend but potentially a lot won't, and Tuesday. Tests generally start on Thurs/Fridays and there's never any issue with it clashing with club/school/kids cricket.

I'm working Monday, I'm as big a fan as there is and I'm not taking it off. I sure as **** aren't for South Africa C - maybe if their full-strength side was here, I might've taken a day off and gone. I could've watched every single ball today (again, albeit it was raining at times).

I respect your opinion but for me it doesn't work. I feel like I should've watched a day's play today.

 

[ataraxia]

Yeah...but there are a guarantee Tests go to days 1 and 2. That being Saturday/Sunday. As it stands, you get Sunday, Monday that apparently some people might make into a long weekend but potentially a lot won't, and Tuesday. Tests generally start on Thurs/Fridays and there's never any issue with it clashing with club/school/kids cricket.

I'm working Monday, I'm as big a fan as there is and I'm not taking it off. I sure as **** aren't for South Africa C - maybe if their full-strength side was here, I might've taken a day off and gone. I could've watched every single ball today (again, albeit it was raining at times).

I respect your opinion but for me it doesn't work. I feel like I should've watched a day's play today.

I think NZC care about as much as you tbh with this scheduling. The aim is to fit it in between the Super Smash finals and the Australian T20Is (Very Sacred).

They're just lucky with the long weekend on this one IMO, while the next test starts on Tuesday. Personally I would have gone consecutive Saturday tests (well or stopped it clashing with the SA20 and moved the second test back a few days).

 

[SeamUp]

Razor sharp: Coach Shukri Conrad backs Protea Raynard
Van Tonder to shine in New Zealand

In the words of Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad, Raynard ‘Razor’ van Tonder “is looking as sharp as he’s ever been”, as they gear up for the first Test against New Zealand this week.

www.dailyvoice.co.za

Phew. He will be playing at least.

Back to where he captained SA U19 in the WC playing with Breetzke & Coetzee.

 

[King Kane]

It's hard to get all that excited about this test series when SA are playing their 2nd best test XI made up of guys not good enough to play in the SA20.

If we win this series it will be a hollow victory and if we lose it will be an embarrassment so not much for us to gain other than getting a tune up for the Aussies in a test series that will actually matter.

 

[Flem274*]

I'm pumped. We've had so much T20 that I'm up for a full cricket game. Sadly busy a lot of tomorrow but hopefully will catch up.

 

[SeamUp]

It's not ideal the team we've taken to NZL but looking at the positive side, let's see who can sink or swim.

Think we have to go 7/4 split

Paterson and Oliver won't offer much pace so I guess Moreki only plays for that reason and whilst there is improvement he could get smashed big time. So many FC games and no 5-for shows how far down the pecking order he should be. Then I guess you have to play Piedt to toil away from an end but he is just back from USA cricket. Yikes!

 

[NZTailender]

It's hard to get all that excited about this test series when SA are playing their 2nd best test XI made up of guys not good enough to play in the SA20.

If we win this series it will be a hollow victory and if we lose it will be an embarrassment so not much for us to gain other than getting a tune up for the Aussies in a test series that will actually matter.

So what you're saying is the only honourable outcome are rained out draws

 

[Smudge]

I totally agree, and think this SA line-up is massively under-rated as I suggested in a previous post.

I'd almost be tempted to say SA go in as slight favourites. I'm predicting 1-1 with SA taking the 1st Test.

Classic James areas. Current match result markets (both overseas and NZ) have NZ around $1.20-$1.25 and SA at $8-8.50.

I'm not saying SA can't win, but it's mischievous of you to even suggest that you'd be almost tempted to say SA go in as slight favourites when the actual measure for the favourite - betting markets - is so heavily weighted towards NZ.

 

[SeamUp]

How buzzing must Neil Brand be. Captaing on test debut. Can only think of Steve Elworthy and Imran Tahir who didn't High School in SA but played Test cricket for us post isolation before him.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah it's a huge day for the SA reserve guys. They'll come out hard at NZ and I like the little I've seen of some of them.

 

[NZTailender]

Wagner
DROPPED
R
O
P
P
E
D

lord help the South Africans if he gets a run in the 2nd test

 

[SeamUp]

No Zondo and Piedt.

Test Debuts for Brand, Moore, van Tonder, de Swardt, Fortuin & Moreki

Last time we gave so many debuts must have been out first test back from isolation.

 

[NZTailender]

Yeah it's a huge day for the SA reserve guys. They'll come out hard at NZ and I like the little I've seen of some of them.

Nothing to lose, with the possibility they may never get a test cap after this series, they'll be relishing the opportunity.

 

[straw man]

Stop gambhiring you lot. This is a 2–0 on a platter.

A bit rough, I think we have a slight chance... at least to not embarrass ourselves utterly. We are only little new Zealand after all and shouldn't get our hopes up. /Steadthoughts

 

[straw man]

Despite the South African side being far short of their top team, still the start of the test summer and gotta be pumped, should be fun.