After 11 sessions of play were lost due to a wet outfield in the first Test, the two-match series between South Africa and New Zealand all comes down to a decider at Centurion. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 1 from 6pm (AEST).
The first Test was almost farcical, as a storm hit on the second day and left the field in an unusable state.
Funnily enough, that has also happened in the West Indies, as they lost most of their fourth Test against India despite the sun being out.
The play we did get during the first Test saw South Africa seem below par on Day 1, but with a good tail performance finish on 263.
New Zealand then only got 12 overs of batting in, being reduced to 2-15 before the game was called off.
The forecast is for cold, yet fine and sunny conditions, meaning we should get a result this time around. Of course, being winter, we could still lose time due to bad light, as was the case on Day 1 in Durban.
But with a pitch that is expected to have plenty of life in it for the pace bowlers, and players like Dale Steyn and Tim Southee to exploit it, five full days shouldn’t be required to get a result.
Steyn and Southee are the key men for each of their respective teams, as pace attack leaders, so the result will likely come down to which team’s batsmen can combat that threat. The New Zealand openers showed us nothing in the first Test, so plenty of pressure will be on the back of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.
For the hosts, it will be about someone going on with the job so they can rack up a good total – everyone seemed to get starts in Durban but only Hashim Amla made the half-century mark.
Prediction
Based on the way the first Test ‘ended’ and that South Africa are playing at home, hard to go past them. The toss will once again be important, and with unpredictable weather you can never full count out a draw.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of Day 1 from 6pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde