Cricket: Only pride at stake now for Black Caps

Shane Bond says it’s not all over yet for the Black Caps in South Africa despite their three losses so far. Picture / Reuters

There is nothing but pride left for the Black Caps in their one-day series against South Africa, but Shane Bond isn't ready to sound like a loser just yet.

"The most disappointing thing is that it could have been 3-0 the other way," Bond said of the fact that South Africa had clinched the five-match rubber at the earliest opportunity.

"There's nothing in it, and 3-0 is maybe not a fair reflection of how the series has gone."

The action resumes in Durban tomorrow and the last game is scheduled for Centurion on Sunday.

To hear Bond tell it, the little things have counted against New Zealand.

"Their lower order - Justin Kemp, Shaun Pollock, those sorts of guys - have come in and played well at key moments. And when the teams are so close, that's all it's going to take to swing the game."

Kemp has twice sprung South Africa from jail with late-order blasts scored at better than a run a ball.

Not surprisingly, the towering allrounder - who is built like a number eight and brings the mindset of a samurai warrior to the crease - has failed to endear himself to the New Zealanders.

"He's an annoying bastard," Lou Vincent said with grudging admiration for Kemp. "In fact, a couple of guys in that South African team have been a pain in the arse."

Of course, Vincent wasn't about to gloss over the discomfort the Kiwis had caused themselves.

"We've got to finish off the small things, we've been losing in the last couple of overs," he said.

It's a far cry from New Zealand's last trip to Africa in August and September, when they confirmed Zimbabwe's status as the gnats of world cricket and beat India twice on their way to winning a one-day triangular tournament.

But, despite the Black Caps' results in South Africa, Vincent didn't think the side had lost ground.

"We definitely haven't gone backwards, but we just haven't nailed that last 1 per cent."

Tomorrow's game holds personal importance for Nathan Astle, who will become the fourth New Zealander to earn 200 one-day caps.

Not that Astle, who will join Chris Harris, Stephen Fleming and Chris Cairns in the 200 club, was looking at the match that way.

"I'm not a big milestones man - you forget all that and get on with trying to get a win on the board, because we don't want to leave here losing 5-0," he said.

For Astle, the key to ensuring New Zealand were able to compete at the business end of the match lay in a better performance from the top order.

"If we got a good start, maybe losing just one or two wickets in the first 15 overs, we'll be in the game more."

The pitch at Kingsmead promises to be the fastest of the series, which is not good news for the visitors. For all that, they haven't been able to take advantage of the favourable conditions they have met so far.

The weather would also seem to be conspiring against the New Zealanders. They have trained in 34C heat in steamy Durban for the past two days, and showers are predicted for tomorrow.

- NZPA