Well-settled New Zealand eye history

The world has already accepted cricket as a year-round - and not summer - sport, and now it’s South Africa’s turn. This is the first time Test cricket will be played in what is essentially winter, although Durban’s balmy conditions beat summer in most places.

The weather is certain, but at this time of the year, no one knows what to expect from the conditions, not even South Africa.

The home side will begin their fresh start at an unfamiliar time of the year, and with their permanent captain and one of their premier pacemen out with injury.

Stand-in leader Faf du Plessis admitted he does not know what to expect from the Durban strip, which did not appear unusually green the day before the match. Some say it will take turn, others feel it will be slow, and the prevailing view is that the quicks will have to work hard for their wickets.

Among those are South Africa’s returning seamers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, who will play together for the first time since November last year.

The pair sat out most of the previous summer with injuries, but has recovered ahead of a busy season. They will face a stern test against New Zealand’s strong batting line-up, who played themselves into form in the preceding two-Test series in Zimbabwe, but will know this will be a much sterner challenge.

New Zealand were shot out for 45 in the first innings of the first Test they played in South Africa three years ago, and lost both matches in the series by an innings.

But they used that humiliation as a catalyst to rebuild and have since racked up a string of good results at home, and, importantly for their growth as a team, away.

They want to be able to build on that, although history does not favour them in this series.

New Zealand have never won a Test series against South Africa, but could see this as their best chance.

They are ranked two places ahead of the hosts, and with a similarly balanced side and recent form behind them, could be seen as favourites.

But South Africa are not keen to concede the advantage early on and have promised to start more aggressively than before in a bid to begin their rebirth.