With the Proteas and Black Caps set to face off in the Champions Trophy semi-finals, we look at the South African-born players currently playing New Zealand domestic cricket.
Devon Conway
Born: Johannesburg, 8 July 1991
Moved to New Zealand: August 2017, at age 26
Current team: Wellington
After playing for Gauteng and the Highveld Lions, Conway moved to New Zealand in 2017 and made an immediate impact. He was the leading run-scorer in both the 2018-19 Plunket Shield (659) and 2018-19 Super Smash (363). Conway became eligible to play for New Zealand in August 2020 and has since become a key player for them across all formats. He averages 51.51 after 27 Tests and has also made 36 ODI and 50 T20I appearances.
Glenn Phillips
Born: East London, 6 December 1996
Moved to New Zealand: 2001, at age 5
Current team: Otago
Phillips moved to New Zealand as a young child with his family and developed his cricket career there. He has been a standout performer in the Super Smash, known for his aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills. While his main focus is on playing for New Zealand, he continues to represent Otago in domestic competitions, including the 2024-25 season.
Dale Phillips
Born: Johannesburg, 15 October 1998
Moved to New Zealand: 2001, as a toddler
Current team: Otago
Glenn’s younger brother debuted for Otago in the 2019-20 season and has since become a prominent batsman for the team. He was the top run-scorer in the 2023-24 Plunket Shield, with 686 runs at an average of 49.
Neil Wagner
Born: Pretoria, March 13, 1986
Moved to New Zealand: 2008, at age 22
Current team: Northern Districts
Wagner emigrated to New Zealand after getting limited opportunities with the Northerns Titans, initially joining Otago. He became a Test specialist for the Black Caps, retiring from international cricket in February 2024 after 64 Tests and 260 wickets. Wagner signed a contract with Northern Districts for the 2024-25 season.
Colin Munro
Born: Durban, 11 March 1987
Moved to New Zealand: Early 2000s (as a teenager)
Current team: Auckland
Known for his explosive T20 batting, Munro retired from international cricket in 2020 but remains active in domestic and franchise leagues. He continues to play for Auckland in the Super Smash.
Chad Bowes
Born: Benoni, 19 October 1992
Moved to New Zealand: 2015, at age 23
Current team: Canterbury
Bowes captained South Africa at the U19 World Cup in 2012 and played for KwaZulu-Natal before moving to New Zealand. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2022-23 Plunket Shield with 652, and in 2023 he made six ODI and 11 T20I appearances for New Zealand. In October last year, Bowes broke the world record for the fastest double century in List A cricket, reaching 200 off just 103 balls in a one-day match against Otago in Christchurch.
Dean Foxcroft
Born: Pretoria, 20 April 1998
Moved to New Zealand: 2016, at age 18
Current team: Otago
Foxcroft moved to New Zealand after representing South Africa at the 2016 U19 World Cup. He earned a contract with Otago and has since become captain. Foxcroft made his debut for New Zealand in 2023 and has earned five T20I caps and one ODI cap for his adopted nation.
Michael Rippon
Born: Cape Town, 14 September 1991
Moved to New Zealand: 2017, at age 26
Current team: Otago
Rippon initially played for Western Province before moving to England (Sussex) and representing the Netherlands. He relocated to New Zealand in 2017 to join Otago, where he has been a consistent all-rounder in the Super Smash and Plunket Shield.
Bevon Jacobs
Born: Pretoria, 15 January 2001
Moved to New Zealand: 2004, at age 3
Current team: Auckland
Jacobs moved to Auckland with his family as a toddler and attended Westlake Boys’ High School. He debuted for Canterbury in the 2023-24 season and is playing for Auckland in the 2024-25 season.
Gareth Severin
Born: Johannesburg, 6 January 2000
Moved to New Zealand: Early 2010s (young teenager)
Current team: Wellington
A top-order batsman, Severin earned a contract with Wellington for the 2024-25 season after impressing in age-group cricket and Wellington A matches. He is currently playing for Wellington in all three formats.
Brad Schmulian
Born: Cape Town, 4 August 1990
Moved to New Zealand: Around 1999-2000, at age 9
Current team: Central Districts
Schmulian, who moved to New Zealand with his family, has been standout performer for Central Districts, particularly in the Plunket Shield where he has scored heavily (583 runs in 2022-23) and also contributed as an off-spinner.
Cole Briggs
Born: East London, 12 November 1999
Moved to New Zealand: Around 2014-2015, at age 14 or 15
Current team: Auckland
Briggs moved to New Zealand as a teenager and came through the Auckland cricket system. The wicketkeeper-batsman debuted for Auckland in the 2020-21 season and has been a regular in the squad since.
Travis Muller
Born: Cape Town, 4 March 1993
Moved to New Zealand: 2019, at age 26
Current team: Otago
Muller moved to New Zealand in 2019 after playing for SA U19 and Western Province. A right-arm fast bowler and useful lower-order batsman, he joined Otago and debuted in the 2020-21 season.
Ray Toole
Born: Johannesburg, 30 October 1997
Moved to New Zealand: Around 2018-2019, at age 21
Current team: Central Districts (Central Stags)
Toole, a left-arm fast bowler, moved to New Zealand in his early 20s after playing club cricket in South Africa. He debuted for Central Districts in the 2019-20 season and took 36 wickets in the 2022-23 Plunket Shield.
MORE: Third time lucky for Proteas in NZ playoff?
Louis Delport
Born: Cape Town, 12 February 1988
Moved to New Zealand: 2018, at age 30
Current team: Auckland
A left-arm orthodox spinner and lower-order batsman, Delport played for Western Province before moving to New Zealand. He debuted for Auckland in the 2019-20 season.
