WELLINGTON - South Africa open hostilities tomorrow against New Zealand on a six-week tour they hope will climax with a 3-0 Test sweep that would see them topple England from the top of the Test rankings.
The tour begins in earnest with a Twenty20 international in Wellington but most attention will focus on next month's Test series as South Africa, currently second in the ICC world rankings, look to become top dogs.
England's lead in the rankings was slashed to a single point after their humiliating 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan, meaning South Africa can overtake them if they post a similar scoreline in the Test series against New Zealand.
But the Proteas have never managed a clean sweep in a three-Test series against the Black Caps and coach Gary Kirsten conceded his charges may have trouble adapting to unpredictable wickets.
"For any team it takes a bit of time to adjust to the weather and wickets," he said. "The wickets can be quite different every time you come here." The tour, including three T20 internationals, three ODIs and three Tests, will provide a gauge for New Zealand coach John Wright of how far his team has come after his appointment in December 2010.
Wright guided the Black Caps to the semifinals of last year's World Cup in a campaign which included a shock quarterfinal win over South Africa that was marred by an ugly spat after Proteas batsman AB de Villiers, now the one-day and T20 skipper, was run out.
New Zealand also scored a rare Test victory on Australian soil to draw a series with the Baggy Greens in December. And they are confident after a string of wins over Zimbabwe in the past month in a Test match, three one-dayers and two T20 matches.
Top Test rank in Proteas' reach
WELLINGTON - South Africa open hostilities tomorrow against New Zealand on a six-week tour they hope will climax with a 3-0 Test sweep that would see them topple England from the top of the Test rankings.
The tour begins in earnest with a Twenty20 international in Wellington but most attention will focus on next month's Test series as South Africa, currently second in the ICC world rankings, look to become top dogs.
England's lead in the rankings was slashed to a single point after their humiliating 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan, meaning South Africa can overtake them if they post a similar scoreline in the Test series against New Zealand.
But the Proteas have never managed a clean sweep in a three-Test series against the Black Caps and coach Gary Kirsten conceded his charges may have trouble adapting to unpredictable wickets.
"For any team it takes a bit of time to adjust to the weather and wickets," he said. "The wickets can be quite different every time you come here." The tour, including three T20 internationals, three ODIs and three Tests, will provide a gauge for New Zealand coach John Wright of how far his team has come after his appointment in December 2010.
Wright guided the Black Caps to the semifinals of last year's World Cup in a campaign which included a shock quarterfinal win over South Africa that was marred by an ugly spat after Proteas batsman AB de Villiers, now the one-day and T20 skipper, was run out.
New Zealand also scored a rare Test victory on Australian soil to draw a series with the Baggy Greens in December. And they are confident after a string of wins over Zimbabwe in the past month in a Test match, three one-dayers and two T20 matches.
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