Match facts
March 25-29, 2017
Start time 1100 local (2200 GMT)
Big picture
The sun is rising later and setting earlier, the leaves have started to turn shades of orange and yellow, and last-of-the-season signs are going up in shop windows. It's almost autumn but New Zealand and South Africa have one last summer fling to complete; one that could define what has been a super-long season.
Both teams started in August and have played 11 Tests in the nine months since, and South Africa can claim to have had a better time. They started at No.7 and, with victories over New Zealand at home, Australia away and Sri Lanka at home, have worked their way up to No.3. A win in Hamilton - and if Australia don't beat India in Dharamsala - will take them to No.2 and ensure they have won all four series this summer.
New Zealand can't mark their progress that way. They were No.5 then and are No.5 now, and the only way they can stay there is by squaring this series. Anything less than a win at Seddon Park, and they will drop a place.
More than that, there is the importance of breaking a long-standing drought against a team they had on the ropes twice this series. This past week marked 13 years since New Zealand last beat South Africa in a Test, in Auckland in 2004. Since then, the teams have met 15 times with South Africa winning ten, including the previous Test in Wellington, where they were 94 for 6 in reply to 268. New Zealand lost that match because of one partnership and one hour in their own innings where everything went wrong. The margins are small and they will want to try and squeeze into them this time.
It won't be easy because New Zealand have lost Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Ross Taylor to injuries. They will have to bank on inexperienced players to beat a South African team, which, despite half their top-six batsmen struggling, has found ways to win. New Zealand pride themselves on the ability to scrap and will want to finish their summer with the biggest scrap of them all.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LDWWW
South Africa: WDWWW
In the spotlight
Although Stephen Cook is not the only member of either top six to find himself out of form, his performances will come under scrutiny because of how closely they mirror his last away series. Cook battled through the first two Tests in Australia, and was thought to be facing the axe with Rilee Rossouw in the squad, but redeemed himself with a century in Adelaide. This time there is no Rossouw, and the replacement batsman, Theunis de Bruyn, is a middle-order player. The only other opening option, albeit an outside one, is Quinton de Kock, who is nursing a finger problem. Cook is safe for this Test, and probably the England tour, but he needs to start showing what he can do on a more consistent basis.
From being the bowler with the biggest heart in New Zealand's attack, Neil Wagner is now the one with the most responsibility. With Southee and Boult ruled out, Wagner will have to lead an inexperienced attack. He has only played in one Test without Southee and Boult, and that was on debut in 2012, when he had Chris Martin and Doug Bracewell for company. Wagner will be alongside Matt Henry, who has just seven Test caps to his name, and will have to make sure he attacks as well as keeps South Africa quiet.
Teams news
With three key players ruled out, New Zealand's conundrum is which allrounder to pick as the third prong in their pace pack. Scott Kuggeleijn could be in line for a debut following strong showings in the Plunket Shield, if they decide to bench James Neesham, who offers more as a batsman, and Colin de Grandhomme, who opened the bowling in Wellington. New Zealand may opt for two allrounders and leave Henry out to play four quicks and a spinner, though that seems unlikely on what is expected to be a slow Seddon Park surface.
New Zealand (probable) 1 Tom Latham, 2 Jeet Raval, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Neil Broom, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 James Neesham/Colin de Grandhomme/Scott Kuggeleijn, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Matt Henry 11 Neil Wagner
South Africa will risk Quinton de Kock, who has tendon damage on his right index finger, for their last match of the summer, which means Heinrich Klaasen will continue to carry drinks along with one other seamer - most likely Wayne Parnell - and another player. Though South Africa flew Dane Piedt in specifically for the Hamilton Test, they may struggle to fit him into the XI, unless they are to leave JP Duminy out.
South Africa 1 Stephen Cook, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Kagiso Rabada
Pitch and conditions
A pitch on the slower side of the block is set to assist spinners but the colour of the surface suggested otherwise. There was still significant green grass on the pitch but both captains expected it was just window dressing. Kane Williamson and Faf du Plessis expected the seamers to have to work hard for their wickets and also anticipated a race against time for a result. Though the weather has improved as the series moved further north - this match will be played in warmer temperatures than the previous two - some rain is forecast for all five days. Day two (Sunday) is at the greatest risk.
Stats and trivia
New Zealand have won their last three Hamilton Tests, against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and West Indies, following a streak of three losses at the venue to South Africa, Pakistan and Australia.
Morne Morkel is one wicket away from 250 Test wickets
Hashim Amla is 117 runs short of 8000 Test runs
Quotes
"It's very important we bounce back, show that fight and those characteristics that this team is about, which we failed to do in the latter half of our last game. We've got one big game left in the summer and the guys are excited by that and want to put on a good performance."
New Zealand Kane Williamson
"I don't think people appreciate and understand (South Africa's record away from home). The record has been exceptional. Mentally we are very resilient. We know whatever the situation on the day, we have to find a way and try and make sure you deliver. You can never use an excuse, whether it's green or spinning. You just have to get on and do the job. Our mental toughness has helped us."
South Africa have only lost one series on the road in ten years and Faf du Plessis explains why
