Cricket: De Villiers relaxed about chances

Doug Bracewell. Photo / APN

As his team practised across the road from McLean Park yesterday, South Africa's captain AB de Villiers ambled alone back to their hotel.

Wearing jandals and shorts, and with what could have passed for a swimming bag slung over a shoulder, he looked for all the world like a bloke off for a dip in the ocean, barely a care in the world.

Which might not be far from the mark, given the whip hand his team have taken in the course of winning their past three contests against New Zealand. He all but confirmed yesterday that the South Africans will field an unchanged side for the second ODI today. Victory to wrap up the second of the three-match packages across the different forms of the game would likely then bring some changes for the third match at Eden Park on Saturday.

"We wouldn't like to take it to the last game. We'll just go out, do the basics well and play good cricket, and hopefully that'll be enough tomorrow," de Villiers said yesterday.

He's delighted with the first showing in New Zealand of senior fast bowler Dale Steyn in the six-wicket win in Wellington last weekend, appreciated the look of the granite-like pitch and had a gentle dig at New Zealand's oft-talked about desire to be aggressive on the park.

"Unfortunately you are restricted with aggression if you're not winning games," he said. "If you don't have momentum, there comes a stage where it's not going to do much to the opposition."

South Africa have minor question marks over openers Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, battling a sore arm and cold respectively. Both should be fit to play. New Zealand have omitted seamers Doug Bracewell and Michael Bates from their 14, monitoring workloads with the tests to come being the logic behind Bracewell having a day off. Young lefthander Tom Latham arrived in Napier yesterday as cover for Jesse Ryder, whose reconditioning from his calf injury of December 27 is still being worked through. However, Ryder is expected to play.

Where de Villiers and New Zealand's acting captain Brendon McCullum would doubtless agree is the McLean Park pitch, which has a 300-run look about it.

"A batters paradise," tipped McCullum.

"By a long way it's the hardest wicket we've played on. It's rock hard," de Villiers added.

De Villiers anticipated batting first to keep the pressure on if he wins the toss. Ordinarily New Zealand should too, except they might view chasing as a better chance after Wellington. They have a good record in Napier, having won 21 of 35 ODIs overall, six of the past 10.

McCullum identified winning the key moments as crucial today.

"We've got to make sure we identify when those moments are and make sure we take an aggressive step forward and put them under pressure."

He expects another short-pitched barrage from South Africa's quicks, and anticipates that could present scoring opportunities to the short, square boundaries on this ground. By contrast he'll want his bowlers operating to a fuller length to try to bring the long, straight boundaries into play.

McCullum insists optimism is strong in his camp.

"We're excited about the opportunity. We don't fear South Africa, and know we have to stand up and play exceptional cricket to beat them. But we don't think we're far away."

* Middle order batsman Dean Brownlie, who fractured a finger against Zimbabwe in Whangarei on February 6, has been ruled out of the first test in Dunedin next week. However, captain Ross Taylor is working his way back from a torn calf and will be ready for the Dunedin clash.

SQUADS

New Zealand v South Africa
Second ODI, McLean Park, Napier, 2pm today

New Zealand: (from) Brendon McCullum ©, Martin Guptill, Rob Nicol, Kane Williamson, Jesse Ryder, James Franklin, Nathan McCullum, Andrew Ellis, Tarun Nethula, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Andy McKay.

South Africa: (from) AB de Villiers ©, Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, J-P Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Justin Ontong, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Marchant de Lange, Morne Morkel.