Cricket: History on the line as Black Caps hope to continue Hagley Oval dominance against South Africa

Dean Elgar and Tom Latham will meet again at Hagley Oval for the second test. Photo / photosport.nz

The feeling of deja vu hanging over the second test will soon be disrupted by one long-standing streak of dominance coming to an end.

An unchanged New Zealand side will tomorrow walk out at the same Hagley Oval ground where last week they consigned South Africa to their second-heaviest defeat in test history.

If the Black Caps succeed in replicating the first-test formula - or if they play well enough to draw the match - they will celebrate a maiden test series victory over the Proteas in their 17th attempt.

Conversely, if South Africa continue their historical ascendancy over the hosts, they will be the rare side to walk away happy from a venue that has become a graveyard for touring teams.

Since 2016, New Zealand have won seven and drawn one of eight tests at Hagley Oval, the closest margin of victory being seven wickets. They triumphed in the last three by an innings and South Africa must be cursing Covid for keeping them in the Garden City.

The Omicron outbreak meant that was the only sensible option, given the Proteas went through MIQ in Christchurch. But given the way Bangladesh outplayed the Black Caps at Bay Oval last month, South Africa would be forgiven for longing for a summer trip to the Mount.

Instead, it's take two at Hagley, with captain Dean Elgar hoping the sequel is more enjoyable than the "head-scratching" original.

"It is a little bit frustrating and disappointing that we haven't fulfilled our abilities," Elgar said. "But guys are usually one knock away from being in good form again.

"I'm kind of banking on that theory going into this next game. What happened in the first test could be a thing of the past for us."

Elgar's side may make an alteration or two to the script, the skipper saying there were 12 or 13 players battling for a spot in the XI.

Conditions tomorrow morning will determine that and Elgar can at least take heart in the fact the second test will be on a different wicket to last week's thrashing.

According to his Kiwi counterpart, the new pitch is even looking a little browner, with Tom Latham putting that down to the extra sunshine it has seen.

In addition to seeking a historic series victory - to go with 13 defeats and three draws since the sides first met in 1932 - Latham's team have other incentives.

A 2-0 victory would see the Black Caps return to the top of the world rankings while the 24 points they'd accrue would revive their World Test Championship defence.

"They're byproducts of the way you go about things in the middle," Latham said of the chance at history. "Obviously it's been well spoken about, but on the whole for us it's about the World Test Championship.

"Nowadays in international cricket, it's so hard to win away from home, so points in your own country are really important."

That new carrot only increases a level of hunger that, according to Elgar, has turned the Black Caps ravenous. The next five days will see something change in this otherwise familiar setting and South Africa know their opposition are determined to keep consistency on their side.

"They've tasted a lot of success as of late, and I think they're extremely hungry for that success," Elgar said. "You can almost see that they don't want to let go of that taste or that feeling of being one of the best sides in the world."