* South Africa to field on green pitch
* NZ make two changes to pace attack
March 15 (Reuters) – South Africa captain Graeme Smith
won the toss and chose to field on the first day of the second
test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday.
“It has got a tinge of green and the stats tend to favour
the team bowling first,” Smith said of the wicket and his reason
to field in the overcast conditions. “Hopefully we can make it
count this morning.
“The weather is predicted to be good for the next few days
and hopefully it will brown out (but) I’m sure it will have
something in it right now.”
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor said he probably would have
bowled first had he won the toss.
“It will probably do a bit for the first two, three hours
with the overhead conditions and we will just have to show a bit
of fight with the bat and restrict their chances,” Taylor said.
“Swing will be more prevalent than Dunedin where it was cold
so I’m sure the bowlers will enjoy it more here.”
Pace bowlers Mark Gillespie, who has made his return to the
test team for the first time in more than three years, and Brent
Arnel are the two changes for New Zealand from the first match
at University Oval in Dunedin.
Continued…
