Cricket: Batsman ready to lay body on line

BLOEMFONTEIN - Mark Richardson has arrived in the heart of Afrikaner country prepared for war.

Having cut his test teeth in Zimbabwe a month ago, the 29-year-old left-hander is now getting ready to square off against the most complete pace attack in world cricket, and is well aware that his body - as much as his average - will come under fire.

But Richardson, who made 99 in Harare, can hardly wait to measure his ability against South Africa's star-studded pace battery when the first test begins tomorrow night (NZ time).

"I've tasted a little success so far but I see this as an opportunity to set a benchmark for myself, because if you can score runs against these guys, you can score them against anyone.

"This is test cricket at its hardest and that's what I've always wanted to experience," he said.

While Richardson is not considering changing his approach to Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and compatriots, he has been constantly thinking about how to combat them in the test, and what to expect from them on the hard and bouncy Bloemfontein pitch.

Donald, with 297 wickets, is in sight of becoming the world's 15th bowler to take 300, while Pollock has taken 186, and Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener 125 between them.

"I'm just trying to visualise the way these guys are going to bowl at me and trying to get myself ready for it," Richardson said.

"It's going to be a struggle.

"Against Zimbabwe you received a few balls to score off, but I am preparing myself for a lot fewer scoring opportunities against South Africa.

"It's going to be tougher. They're better bowlers, they're faster bowlers and I know I'll have to take a few on the body and guts it out."

Richardson, one of New Zealand's best batsmen off the back foot, started his ascent to the national team when he scored a century for Otago against a fired-up West Indian attack at Carisbrook in the summer of 1995-96.

He is more at home against the quicks than spin-bowling, and is therefore looking forward to the duel against the South African pacemen - despite their phenomenal success in recent seasons.

"The pace suits me," he said.

"I generally score at a better clip, and I've got more scoring options against the quicks.

"As long as I can keep my composure and it's my day, hopefully I can grind out a big score. At least I know I'm good enough on the back foot. If they stray, I know I'm good enough to score off them."