Cricket: Watling upbeat for test series decider

New Zealand's BJ Watling insists his team are capable of a much better display in the third test against South Africa. Photo / AP

New Zealand's third-day capitulation against South Africa at the Basin Reserve last weekend was "not a calamity", according to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

Starting their second innings 91 runs behind the tourists, and with the pitch in its best batting condition, New Zealand folded for 171, failing miserably to cope with the left arm spin of Keshav Maharaj.

South Africa won the test by eight wickets and need only draw the final match of the New Zealand summer in Hamilton next week to win the series.

New Zealand had won their first four home tests this season, against Pakistan and Bangladesh, and drew creditably with the South Africans in the first test in Dunedin.

But Watling, while acknowledging New Zealand's performance hadn't been good enough at the Basin, played down the size of the failure.

"We've played some really good test cricket at home this summer. We're won four tests and drawn one. It's not a calamity. These things happen," Watling said today.

"We need to make sure we are fighting in the next test. I know the boys are 100 per cent up for it."

Watling also suggested there is some way for key fast bowler Trent Boult to travel before being confirmed fit for the decider.

Left arm swing man Boult, who has taken 22 wickets in four tests this summer at 22.5 each, suffered an upper leg injury before the second test and there are hopes he will be ready to return at Seddon Park.

"He had a bowl yesterday, the physios are monitoring him over the next few days.

''I'm not sure if he's a hundy (100 percent fit) but it would be great to have him back. He's a world class bowler who's done a hell of a job for us over the last few years," Watling added.

He urged his team mates to be better as a whole unit at Hamilton, than they were in Wellington.

"We've got to build partnerships and take these guys (South Africa) deep.

''We saw that at Dunedin (in the first test). We had them in positions we were pretty happy with. That's what we missed in Wellington and we're definitely looking to rectify that."