South Africa National Cricket Team Vs. New Zealand National Cricket Team Timeline: All 3 Format.
South Africa did learn and adopt cricket due to Britain’s influence over them. And the same is the case with New Zealand. They are called on of the top sides in the game and in Test, ODI and T20I formats, they have set the tune on both sides.
For cricketing sides, South Africa and New Zealand are two sides who’ve remained consistent with Test, ODI & T20I quality. But both teams are also famous for failing to win the big ICC events. In 50 over and 20 over World Cup they have come so close to winning but they have lost the plot at losing semis or final of the cup. The opening edition of the ICC Champions Trophy was in 1998, and South Africa won it in the first one. Then they have not won any major ICC events since that. In 2021 they won the ICC Men’s Test Championship’s opening edition final against India in England and that’s the major win for New Zealand.
New Zealand National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team – Head to Head
Both South Africa and New Zealand have met in several times in ODIs, T20Is, and Tests taking place at different comes and in different series. South Africa and New Zealand in cricket means quality meeting the quality. This is the reason the games between these two sides are great and follow the mega tradition of success.
In Test matches, South Africa has seen big success over New Zealand in the long run. Both sides have locked horns 49 times in Test cricket. South Africa has won 26 matches, losing seven and drawing 16.
- Head-To-Head Matches (Test) 49
- South Africa 26
- New Zealand 7
- Draw 16
In ODIs, the record favours South Africa. They have 42 wins to 25 losses and five no result.
- Head-to-head matches (ODI) 72
- South Africa 42
- New Zealand 25
- No Result 5
Now, in the shortest format, T20Is, South Africa, and New Zealand have met 15 times, with SA winning 11 and losing just four matches.
- Head-to-head matches (ODI) 15
- South Africa 11
- New Zealand 4
- No Result 0
The H-2-H would tell that South Africa holds the upper hand over New Zealand. But most of the games go the wire and they see the regular uptrend. Hence, the worth of South Africa and New Zealand in cricket is all about the trend where games seem to go the wire. In terms of fielding standards, South Africa and New Zealand have made the biggest mark in making it great.
SA National Cricket Team Vs. New ZN Cricket Team Match Scorecard
The last time South Africa and New Zealand met was in a 2-0 Test series, and the final game took place at Seddon Park from 13 to 17 Feb 2024. After losing the first Test match, South Africa won the toss and picked to bat first. However, the fast-bowling-friendly wicket did not help South Africa to put in a massive total. Ruan de Swardt scored 64 runs, but others did not make a sound impact. As a result, South Africa scored just 242/10.
For New Zealand, Will O’Rourke took four wickets, and Rachin Ravindra clinched three. But it became harder for New Zealand, who put a total of just 43 runs. As a result, New Zealand put 211 runs to the board. Dane Piedt’s five wickets and Glenn Phillips’s two wickets helped South Africa gain some lead at the end of the first innings.
Despite David Bedingham’s 110 and Keegan Petersen’s 43 runs, South Africa scored just 235 runs. Again for New Zealand, Will O’Rourke managed to make an impact and took five wickets.
Match Analysis
South Africa and New Zealand did show a great battle in the second Test match. And after the first innings, South Africa was in a better position. But the bowlers of South Africa were not able to stop Kane Williamson, and this became a key reason for seeing whitewash and losing the series away from home. This shows the quality of South Africa and the reason they always give a hard fight to the home side. In terms of bowling, New Zealand did make an impact in both innings. And this is the reason they did well against South Africa in the Test. As in H2H, SA holds a better record against NZ. Kane Williamson chased the total well and did not stay out, which made them win the game.
Final Take
South Africa and New Zealand meeting H2H means quality meets quality. Both nations like to play cricket, which helps the fast bowlers a lot. It is the key reason that makes them ready for the future, and New Zealand winning the 2021 World Test Championship tells how good they are and how well they can set things for good. This shows the real worth of New Zealand in cricket, which won their first ICC event in 2021, and that too in Test cricket, which is being seen as a gold standard.
