HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) South Africa won the toss Saturday and elected to bat in the third cricket test against New Zealand at Seddon Park.
The toss was delayed by 30 minutes because of slightly damp conditions but no overs have been lost.
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis said the decision to bat was ''50-50'' and partly informed by the expectation that the Seddon Park pitch will take turn later in the match. But South Africa is likely also mindful of the fact New Zealand is fielding a severely depleted bowling attack.
For the first time in five years, New Zealand will enter a test without at least one of its frontline seamers, Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Southee has been ruled out of the match with a hamstring strain and Boult with a groin and hip injury.
Matt Henry will play his first test in the series, joining Neil Wagner and the allrounder Colin de Grandhomme in New Zealand's seam attack. New Zealand has also named two spinners, left-armer Mitchell Santner and off-spinner Jeetan Patel.
Leading batsman Ross Taylor is still unavailable because of a calf injury and Neil Broom holds his place after scores of 0 and 20 on his debut in the second test at Wellington while allrounder James Neesham has been dropped.
South Africa has made one change to the lineup that won the Wellington test, naming opener Theunis de Bruyn to make his test debut in place of the out-of-form Stephen Cook. Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock has been passed fit after suffering ligament damage to his right index finger during the second test.
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New Zealand: Tom Latham, Jeet Raval, Kane Williamson (captain), Neil Broom, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, B.J. Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Jeetan Patel, Neil Wagner.
South Africa: Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla, J.P. Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel.
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Rod Tucker, Australia.
TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka. Match referee: David Boon, Australia.
