JAMES BRYANT, Edgbaston | Tuesday 12.25pm
WORLD Cup favourites South Africa will receive a simple message from Hansie Cronje before their second-round clash with New Zealand here on Thursday — let’s try and win without Lance Klusener’s help for a change.
The South Africans, fresh from beating main tournament rivals Pakistan, can make sure of qualifying for the semi-finals with a victory.
Their final Super Six game comes against resurgent Australia on Sunday.
Cronje’s side know the Kiwis well, having beaten them in away Test and one-day series earlier this year.
Cronje said: “We are confident of doing it (making the semi-finals) but I’m not happy with the way in which we are winning.”
“We have to work on our batting, we can’t leave it to the lower order all the time.”
The in-form Klusener has had to save the team on several occasions by wading in with quick runs after batting collapses.
New Zealand have three points to South Africa’s four. A win would see them on the brink of the semi-finals with one more game against India at Trent Bridge.
The game will provide an intriguing head-to-head between New Zealand’s left-arm seamer Geoff Allott, who has already claimed a record-equalling 18 wickets in the tournament, and South Africa’s right-arm paceman Allan Donald.
Donald is likely to feel at home, returning to the ground where he has played for Warwickshire for 12 years and returning to the city where he has settled after marrying a local woman.
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said he was confident following the tight one-day series between the two sides in February-March, which South Africa won 3-2. — AFP