New Zealand and South Africa will begin their three-match ODI series in Mount Maunganui with the first match being played on Monday at 5:30 p.m. ET. Live stream the match by clicking this link.
New Zealand will already be bringing a depleted team into the series without having even played a match yet. Ross Taylor and Adam Milne have been ruled out of the entire series, and Kane Williamson will miss the first match. Tim Southee has been declared healthy, but it's likely he won't be a factor in the first match either, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Dean Brownlie and Tom Latham have been added to the 14-man roster for the first match. Daniel Vettori will return to New Zealand's lineup after last playing in June and he will bring a veteran presence to the team. His experience will definitely be needed, as New Zealand hasn't played an international match since the first week of July and hasn't played an ODI since the last day of January.
"I would feel very confident if I was in their team having Dan in the side," South Africa captain AB de Villers said about Vettori's return. "Huge amount of confidence, experience that comes into the side. He has done it before. He has got the world's best batters out before."
South Africa will use this series and its tour of Australia as ways to build momentum for the 2015 World Cup, which will be played in both countries. These tours will allow the South Africans to familiarize themselves with playing conditions and gain intel on teams they might face in the knockout rounds of the competition.
Starting Squads
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (capt.), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori.
South Africa: AB de Villiers (capt.), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn.
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