Test Cricket Tours - South Africa to New Zealand 1998-99
Tour of
New Zealand 1998-99Captain: Hansie
Cronje
25th
official test tour
Fifth
Test-playing tour of New Zealand
by South Africa
(February - March 1999)
South Africa made its first full tour of New Zealand
since 1963-64, apart from a one-off centenary Test meeting in 1995. The
team’s confidence was high after routing the West Indies 5-0 but weather and
pitches prevented them from beating New Zealand so easily. Both Test
and one-day series were won by a margin of only one match.
The first Test match at Auckland
was played on a tame surface that offered no bowlers any hope, and South Africa racked up more than 600 runs,
with Cullinan making a record double century score, before New Zealand
batted out the match with ease. Christchurch
was badly affected by rain but time enough for Gibbs to make another double
century. Only at Wellington where the weather
and pitch permitted a finish, did South Africa secure the series,
Gibbs and Cullinan adding yet more runs to their tallies. Both batsman recorded
extraordinary averages.
There were three players of colour - Adams, Gibbs and
Mpitsang - in the touring squad but the on-tour selection panel believed
that, according to the quota system, they had to be part of the team only for
the Test series rather than in one-day internationals and left them out,
which raised a storm back in South Africa.
Unavailable:Dave Richardson and Fanie de Villiers had announced
their retirements.
Tour Party Announced : 28 January 1999.
Not selected :Derek Crookes;fast bowler
Makhaya Ntini (who was facing a charge of rape and was scheduled to appear in
court during the tour) was not selected but Pollock said he was left out
solely because of his poor form.
Withdrawal :David Terbrugge (Gauteng) on 1 February
because of an ankle injury.He was
replaced by Steve Elworthy.
Time between selection and departure from South Africa
12 days
(28 January - 9 February)
Travel
The team left Johannesburg
for New Zealand on Tuesday
9 February, flying via Sydney and arriving at Christchurch on 11 February
. They flew to Queenstown on the evening of 12 February to prepare for
the tour opener at Alexandra next day
Head coach Bob Woolmer stayed behind to remain with his very ill
father in Cape Town.
Coaching duties were taken over by assistant coach Graham Ford until his
arrival.
Time spent in New
Zealand
49 days
(11 February - 1 April)
On-tour selection panel
Reinforcements
None.It was
always planned that Symcox would fly home after the first three ODIs but the
option to recall him after the Test series was not used.
Allan Donald was unable to play in every match
because of a stomach muscle strain.
Fixtures/Results
ϯ Alexandra
New Zealand Academy XI
Won 197 r
§ Dunedin
New Zealand(1st ODI)
Lost 3 w
§ Christchurch
New Zealand (2nd ODI)
Won 7 w
§ Auckland
New Zealand (3rd ODI)
Lost 7 w
Hamilton
Northern Districts
Drawn
AUCKLAND
NEW ZEALANDFirst Test
DRAWN
Lincoln Green
New Zealand A
Drawn
CHRISTCHURCH
NEW ZEALANDSecond Test
DRAWN
WELLINGTON
NEW ZEALANDThird Test
WON 8 w
§ Napier
New Zealand(4th ODI)
No result
§ Napier
New Zealand(4th ODI -
replay)
Won 2 w
§ Auckland
New Zealand(5th ODI)
Won 143 r
§ Wellington
New Zealand(6th ODI)
No result
§ Wellington
New Zealand(6th ODI
-replay)
Abandoned
† not first-class
§one-day international
Time
spent in New Zealand
before First Test:16 days
•Daryll Cullinan scored
275* at Auckland,
the highest Test score by a South African.
•He scored 427 Test runs
for once out, and won a car as New Zealand’s international
player of the season.
•Herschelle Gibbs was
almost as prolific, scoring 34, 211*, 120 and 0 in the Test matches.
•In such a high scoring
series, Pollock took 13 wickets at an average of 16 including 5-33 at Wellington.
Tour Summary
P
W
L
D
Aban
Test Matches
3
1
0
2
-
Other first-class matches
2
0
0
2
-
†Minor matches
1
1
0
0
-
§
One-day internationals
8
3
2
2
1
All Matches
14
5
2
6
1
Return to South
Africa
Symcox flew home on 21 February, after the third one-day
international.
The last match was abandoned on Wednesday 31 March,
allowing the team to take an early flight home from Wellington
by Singapore Airlines, via Sydney, on Thursday
1 April, arriving in South
Africa next day.