New Zealand have opened up the possibility of playing three specialist spinners in the fourth ODI against the Proteas on Wednesday. 

Black Caps coach, Mike Hesson, is known for taking the odd risk or two, and with the turn that the pitch at Hamilton provided in the first ODI, three spinners might be a worthy gamble for the hosts.

They played the trio-spinners card before in their first World T20 match in Nagpur last year, when they played Nathan McCullum, Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner to dismantle India for 79.

The 2011 World Cup quarter-final will bring back cringing memories for SA, when NZ used McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Luke Woodcock to defend 221 and skittled the Proteas for 172 to knock them out.

With the hosts 2-1 down and South Africa favourites to win the series, should the Black Caps take advantage of the spinner conducive pitch by selecting three spinners?

The NZ selectors have opted to bring back the experienced off-spinner Jeetan Patel, who has replaced the pace option of Matt Henry. With Santner and Sodhi already in the squad, the Proteas should prepare themselves for the possibility of facing all three.

‘We’ll be confronted by a different surface, but it has spun in the past,’ Santner said.

‘I’m looking forward to that in a must-win game. I need all the help I can get, otherwise I go the journey.

‘If it is going to spin we’ve got good options, but Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi are handy, too. 250 might be a good score.’

New Zealand have also added their star opener Martin Guptill into the squad, as they aim to level the series.

The match will start at 3:00 SAST.

New Zealand Squad:

Kane Williamson (captain), Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Dean Brownlie, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Jeetan Patel, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.

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