Proteas Replace Boxing Day Test With T20

Johannesburg: New Zealand and Pakistan will play Test series in South Africa in early 2013.

New Zealand will visit from December through to January and play the Proteas in three Twenty20 internationals and a three-match one-day series either side of Tests in Cape Town on Jan. 2-6 and Port Elizabeth on Jan. 11-15.

Pakistan will start with three Tests in February followed by two T20s and five ODIs.

In the schedule released by Cricket South Africa on Tuesday, the Proteas will drop their traditional December 26 Boxing Day Test in Durban for a Twenty20 game against New Zealand at Port Elizabeth.

No. 2-ranked test team South Africa has a busy year with a three-match away series against top-ranked England in July and August followed by a tour of Australia.

New Zealand in South Africa 2012-13 schedule:

• Dec 21, 1st T20I - Kingsmead, Durban (D/N)
• Dec 23, 2nd T20I - Buffalo Park, East London (D/N)
• Dec 26, 3rd T20I - St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
• Jan 2-6, 1st Test - Newlands, Cape Town
• Jan 11-15, 2nd Test - St George's Park, Port Elizabeth
• Jan 19, 1st ODI - Boland Park, Paarl
• Jan 22, 2nd ODI - De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley (D/N)
• Jan 25, 3rd ODI - Senwes Park, Potchefstroom (D/N)

Pakistan in South Africa 2012-13 itenery:

• Feb 1-5, 1st Test - New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
• Feb 14-18, 2nd Test - Newlands, Cape Town
• Feb 22-26, 3rd Test - SuperSport Park, Centurion
• Mar 1, 1st T20I - Kingsmead, Durban (D/N)
• Mar 3, 2nd T20I - Buffalo Park, East London
• Mar 10, 1st ODI - Chevrolet Park, Bloemfontein
• Mar 15, 2nd ODI - SuperSport Park, Centurion (D/N)
• Mar 17, 3rd ODI - New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
• Mar 21, 4th ODI - Kingsmead, Durban
• Mar 24, 5th ODI - Willowmoore Park, Benoni