1st T20I: New Zealand v South Africa at Wellington, Feb 17, 2012
Match scheduled to begin at 19:00 local time (06:00 GMT, 11:00 PST)
Current time: 18:17 local, 05:17 GMT | Match begins in: 0:43
New Zealand squad
BB McCullum*†, MD Bates, DAJ Bracewell, C de Grandhomme, AM Ellis, JEC Franklin, MJ Guptill, RM Hira, NL McCullum, KD Mills, RJ Nicol, JDP Oram, TG Southee, KS Williamson
South Africa squad
AB de Villiers*†, HM Amla, J Botha, M de Lange, JP Duminy, CA Ingram, RE Levi, JA Morkel, M Morkel, JL Ontong, WD Parnell, RJ Peterson, J Theron, LL Tsotsobe
New Zealand have won the toss and have decided to bowl first. Andrew Ellis and Michael Bates are left out, while Jacob Oram is nursing an injury. Doug Bracewell and Martin Guptill come into the side that beat Zimbabwe in Hamilton on Tuesday.
South Africa are unchanged from the team that beat Canterbury on Wednesday in Christchurch.
** New Zealand team**
RJ Nicol, MJ Guptill, BB McCullum*†, KS Williamson, JEC Franklin, C de Grandhomme, NL McCullum, DAJ Bracewell, KD Mills, RM Hira, TG Southee
**
South Africa team**
RE Levi, HM Amla, CA Ingram, AB de Villiers*†, JP Duminy, JL Ontong, JA Morkel, J Botha, J Theron, M Morkel, LL Tsotsobe
*A bright and sunny day greets us in Wellington for the first eagerly anticipated contest between New Zealand and South Africa. It is a Twenty20 International to kick things off on this 3-3-3 tour, three matches in each format. *
The pitch should be full of runs, it was used for the New Zealand Women clash against England Women earlier in the day and at times it was slow and low, but these two teams' bowling attacks should offer more pace and bounce tonight.
19.5
Mills to Botha, SIX, dropped over the boundary for six, but it is harsh to say that as Botha got under a half-volley outside off and launched it towards the long-off boundary where Nathan McCullum dived full stretch but could only parry it over the rope
The toss has been won by New Zealand, and they are bowling first. Brendon McCullum says his decision is partly due to the threat of rain. Jesse Ryder and Michael Bates come in for Colin de Grandhomme and an ill Kyle Mills. Ryder will bat in the middle order, marking a return to international cricket for the big Wellington left-hander.
South Africa make just the one change, an odd one considering the overhead conditions as spinning allrounder Robin Peterson replaces the fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who had taken a hat-trick in the tour match against Canterbury.
Avi Singh on the commentary console tonight, Binoy George in charge of scoring and Firdose Moonds, our South African correspondent, is on match report duties.
Today marks the first anniversary of the devastating Cantebury earthquakes which killed 185 people, damaged the New Zealand Cricket offices beyond repair and caused untold havoc to club grounds throughout the region. There will be a minute's silence and both sides will wear red ribbons tonight in memory.
The teams, along with the New Zealand and English Women's teams who played earlier in the day, walk out for the minute's silence. A quiet hush goes around the ground as heads are bowed.
Richard Levi, he of fastest-hundred fame from the last game, and Hashim Amla are out in the middle ready to open the batting. Roneel Hira will open the bowling, in a slight variation from previous games where Nathan McCullum took first use of the pill