South Africa and New Zealand will play their first one-day international against one another since their infamous World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

The Proteas were denied yet again in the last four of a World Cup in dramatic fashion, going down to co-hosts New Zealand by four wickets in Auckland - but the Black Caps are on South African soil now for a three-match series.

The tourists already fought back to draw the Twenty20 series 1-1, with NZ's World Cup hero Martin Guptill finding form in the shortest format with scores of 60 and 42.

Proteas ODI captain AB De Villiers said he was hoping to use the series, which begins at Centurion, to work on decision making.

"It's a little bit early to be playing cricket in South Africa but once again it's a challenge to test ourselves and the way we can adapt in games like this," De Villiers said, via SA Cricket. 

"We need to see how we think on our feet and whether we are smart enough as a cricket team to turn games around to win them. 

"We aren't there yet and we will figure that out in the ODIs."

Dale Steyn, who was taken for the winning runs at Eden Park by Grant Elliott, has joined the ODI squad, along with fellow quick Vernon Philander and spinner Imran Tahir.

The Black Caps will look to repeat their previous success on South African soil, when they won 2-1 - losing only the series dead rubber.