Kiwis send Proteas to bat in first Test

New Zealand have won the toss and sent touring South Africa in to bat in the first cricket Test between the teams since 2017.

While the greenish pitch at Christchurch's Hagley Oval was an enticement to Tom Latham, who won a toss for the first time as New Zealand captain, his batting lineup also is thin.

For the first time since 2008, New Zealand are without both Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who share more than 15,000 Test runs.

Williamson is still recovering from a chronic elbow injury and Taylor retired from Test cricket last month.

Latham will open the batting with Will Young and South Africa-born Devon Conway will bat at No. 3 in his first Test against his countrymen.

Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell and wicketkeeper Tom Blundell all move up one spot while Colin de Grandhomme rejoins the team as a bowling allrounder.

Leading seamer Trent Boult is also out of the match, awaiting the birth of his third child.

South Africa named two new caps in their lineup.

Sarel Erwee will open the batting with captain Dean Elgar while Zubayr Hamza will bat at No. 6.

Seamer Glenton Stuurman was named as a late replacement for Lungi Ngidi who suffered a back strain in training.

New Zealand have never won a Test series against South Africa and have won only four of their 45 previous Tests.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Will Young, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry.

South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Sarel Erwee, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma, Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Glenton Stuurman, Duanne Olivier.

Umpires: Chris Brown and Chris Gaffaney, New Zealand.

TV umpire: Wayne Knights,