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CENTURION - Skipper Daniel Vettori is asking his New Zealand side to knuckle down and show some grit in the face of anticipated South African aggression for the second test beginning tonight (NZtime).
South Africa lead the two-test series 1-0 and are poised for a clean sweep but anticipate New Zealand to come out swinging and combat their plans to strike early.
Vice-captain Ashwell Prince said the Proteas would not be complacent after their massive first test victory.
"We know it's a two-match series, and if we lose this match, everything we achieved in the first test will be undone," said Prince.
"As far as the bowling is concerned, the guys are at the top of their game.
"They didn't give the New Zealanders much opportunity to settle down at the crease, and our whole bowling attack was outstanding."
New Zealand fell to their biggest ever defeat in terms of runs, by 358, in the first test with two big centuries for South African batsmen Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla while strike bowler Dale Steyn completed a 10-wicket haul.
With Jacob Oram ruled out by a hamstring injury and Shane Bond flown home after limping out of the first test with an abdominal muscle tear, New Zealand have named Kyle Mills and Mark Gillespie in their team.
Mills slips into the all rounder's role vacated by Oram while Gillespie should get his first test cap.
Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum will bat at six with Mills coming in at eight.
This means the New Zealand batting order who were skittled for 118 and 172 in the first test at the Wanderers, operating with one less batsman, need to apply themselves to avoid another heavy defeat.
"Kyle Mills comes into the equation because he can bat, although to a lesser degree than Jacob," skipper Daniel Vettori said.
Vettori expected New Zealand to perform with the grittiness they are famous for, with no repeats of their Wanderers capitulation.
"We've moved on from the heavy defeat in Johannesburg and the guys are confident in their abilities.
"But it's not much good if you don't produce a performance to back that feeling up.
"We realise how aggressively South Africa will come at us, especially with the added confidence they'll have after that win," Vettori said.
South Africa will field the same starting 11 from the first test with leading wicket-taker Shaun Pollock left out once again.
Coach Mickey Arthur said the South Africans were certainly not regarding the injury-hit Black Caps as a spent force.
"We still have enormous respect for them as a team, they are a team of fighters and I certainly expect them to bounce back hard."
- NZPA
