Kiwis face daunting task
New Zealand arrived in South Africa as the newly-crowned International Cricket Council knockout champions, having come out on top in a contest of the best teams in the world.
Less than two weeks later, they are running out of options as they seek to avoid humiliation in a series in South Africa.
"We may be a bit flat," admitted key batsman Roger Twose as he looked ahead to the fourth match of a six-match series in Kimberley on Saturday.
South Africa lead 2-0 and could well have been 3-0 up if rain had not washed out the first match in Potchefstroom after a dominating performance by the South African batsmen.
Twose pointed out that the Black Caps have been touring since August, when they played in a tournament in Singapore. Since then they have been to Zimbabwe for a Test and one-day series followed by the ICC tournament in Kenya. They still have a three-match Test series against South Africa to come.
Twose said: "It's hard with the South Africans playing so well but someones got to do it for us. Well dig deep. We've got to be as brilliant as we can be."
South Africa, beaten in the ICC knockout semi-finals in Kenya, have come out firing in the first three games and have scarcely had to call on some of their big guns like Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes.
The stars of the series so far have been left-handed allrounder Nicky Boje, who has hammered 105 not out, 64 and 129 in his three innings in the number three batting position, and opening bowler Roger Telemachus, who conceded only 16 runs in ten overs in Benoni, then took three for 45 in Centurion.
It doesn't seem likely that South Africa will let up. Skipper Shaun Pollock said he wants his side to achieve consistency. "We have tended to win one or two games, then lose one," said Pollock.
Since taking over from the disgraced Hansie Cronje in April, Pollock has led South Africa to a series win and a tie in home-and-away clashes with World Cup champions Australia and a tournament victory in Singapore.
New Zealand have struggled with injuries, particularly to their bowlers, and captain Stephen Fleming admitted that a lack of penetration by the bowlers had allowed South Africa to build match-winning totals.
One option for the embattled Kiwis may to be gamble on tall, fast but inexperienced pace bowler Daryl Tuffey.
The squads:
South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Gary Kirsten, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Allan Donald, Roger Telemachus, Andrew Hall, Shafiek Abrahams, Makhaya Ntini.
New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Chris Nevin, Roger Twose, Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Scott Styris, Shayne OConnor, Geoff Allott, Brooke Walker, Paul Wiseman, Craig Spearman, Daryl Tuffey.
Mail Cricket Editor
