The 5 best South African batting performances in New Zealand

It's not a case of New Zealand counting their lucky stars that both Tests, the first of which starts on Thursday, are going to be played at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Because at the Basin Reserve in the capital city of Wellington, the Proteas have always found a way to play their best cricket and show up New Zealand.

They haven't been very good against South Africa at home in Test cricket since the Proteas made a short trip to the Land of the Long White Cloud in early 1995 to take part in New Zealand cricket's centenary celebrations.

Since that tour, the Proteas have only lost one Test in New Zealand, a game that saw Jacques Rudolph play what was his second-best Test knock with a futile, but brave 154* in what was nine-wicket hammering at Eden Park in Auckland.

SA's other Test tons (and some fiery minor epics) have come under better and happier circumstances in New Zealand.

Here are the five best knocks by South African batters in New Zealand:

Hansie Cronje, 101 at Eden Park, 1995 - SA won by 93 runs

This one-off tour was SA's first trip to New Zealand in 31 years and the main highlight of that trip was a quadrangular ODI tournament that featured the hosts, Australia and India. SA stayed for a one-off Test in Auckland that was decided by Cronje's first Test ton as captain.

The game also featured a rare sporting declaration on the last day by Cronje, who wasn't the most adventurous of skippers, after South Africa conceded a small lead in what was a slow-burn of a Test where the run-rate never crossed three an over.

Cronje took the fight to New Zealand's bowlers on the fourth day and the fifth-morning before setting New Zealand 275 in 63 overs.

The hosts collapsed after tea and handed SA a deserved win.

Herschelle Gibbs,