South Africa look to cap off season with series win against depleted New Zealand

Some say that time heals all wounds, but there are others that dispute that. New Zealand will find out how true it is when they face South Africa in the third Test on Saturday (March 25), having had a full week to get over the pain of their sudden loss in Wellington.

The hosts competed ably with South Africa for the first six and a half days of the series, which made their capitulation over the next two days all the more harrowing. It also didn't help that, rather than finding themselves blown away by a trademark fast-bowling performance from South Africa, they instead succumbed to the spinners.

But the extra time that the swift defeat gave them to recover should have helped, because it will have allowed some distance and a sense of perspective. Kane Williamson will be able to remind his side that they have matched their opponents for much of the series, so there is no reason why they can not turn things around.

Whether New Zealand do so or not will define their season. A series draw against South Africa would have to be considered a success - another tick to add to the whitewashes of Pakistan and Bangladesh. But a series defeat, especially a 2-0 loss, would degrade those earlier victories and would also drop them to sixth in the rankings, below Pakistan.

South Africa, meanwhile, could rise to second in the rankings if they win the series and Australia lose their final Test against India, starting the same day. That will not only be another step in the South Africa's impressive climb back up on the ladder from last August, when they started in seventh, but would also mean they receive an extra $300,000 from the ICC when the annual prize money is handed out on April 1.

It really has been some season for South Africa, who have won seven Tests, drawn two and lost one since it all began with the short series at home to New Zealand in August. That's without mentioning the ODIs, where there were 14 wins against just two defeats. Their hunger has been insatiable throughout, so while some sides may begin to flag at the end of a long summer, it is difficult to see South Africa dropping their intensity.

New Zealand will therefore need to outmanoeuvre their visitors, particularly with such a damaging injury list. The uncertainty over conditions in Hamilton could allow for an interesting tactical battle.