NZ rethink plans for surprise destroyer

New Zealand must exorcise their ill-discipline against spin bowling if they are to bounce back in the third Test against South Africa, says wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

With Hamilton's Seddon Park being among the most spin-friendly tracks in New Zealand, both teams are likely to boost their slow-bowling stocks for the final Test starting on Saturday.

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Left-armer Mitchell Santner is set to join off-spinner Jeetan Patel in the Black Caps armoury while the tourists have flown in offie Dane Piedt, who looks set to link with second Test destroyer Keshav Maharaj.

With just 11 wickets in four Tests to his name heading into the series, Maharaj was expected to play the role of support bowler to South Africa's potent pace trio led by Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.

But 27-year-old tweaker, who debuted against Australia in Perth last November, has taken two five-wicket hauls and 13 wickets in just three innings during the first two Tests, including a match-winning haul of 6-40 in the Black Caps’ second innings at the Basin Reserve last week as the hosts capitulated for 171 in an eight-wicket loss.

Watling praised Maharaj's control, but said the home side's batsmen could have handled the Test rookie better.

"He was disciplined in his areas but that wicket wasn't spinner-friendly," Watling said of the Proteas spinner.

"We were probably not as disciplined as we'd like to be and there are definitely improvements we need to make.

"We've played a lot of spin and we've got some very good players of spin in this team. For me, it's just about making better decisions."

Watling rejected a theory the Kiwis were rattled in Wellington by twin batting failures from captain Kane Williamson, who scored a total of three runs for the match.

With Ross Taylor absent through injury, Williamson looms as a key wicket for the Proteas.

Watling says the hosts have to prove they don't rely on one player.

"Kane's going to have poor Tests, everyone's going to have poor Tests. That's cricket," he said.

"We have to be better as a unit, build partnerships and take them really deep. We saw that in Dunedin and it put them under pressure."

Watling was typically defiant in Wellington, facing more than 300 balls in accumulating scores of 34 and 29.

The former opening batsman says it is unlikely he will be promoted any higher than seven in the order because of the demands involved with wicketkeeping.

"Batting at seven, you get a little mental break before you get back out in the middle," he said.

"But it's whatever balance the team needs and we'll figure that out over the next few days."