South African cricket coach Eric Simons dismissed any notion on Tuesday that the side had peaked too early ahead of the World Cup in February.
By beating Pakistan by nine wickets in Paarl on Monday, South Africa won their third series of the summer having dealt with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka earlier in the season.
”We have been playing well,” conceded Simons at Newlands, ”but I don’t think there is any danger of us peaking just yet.
”By January I wanted to have all the basics done well. So far everyone has chipped in and that is so good for our confidence.”
Although Wednesday’s fifth match against Pakistan represents the final chance for South Africa to experiment against international opposition, Simons refuses to opt for wholesale changes to the side.
”We owe it to the supporters and we want to win this series 4-1.
”However, Monde (Zondeki) is likely to come in for Allan (Donald). Allan has an ankle injury and he really just made it playing in Paarl. We’ll see how it is tomorrow but it’s likely we’ll give him a rest.”
Should he play at Newlands, Zondeki will be playing his second game for the national side after playing in the final game against Sri Lanka at the beginning of the month.
With his first ball in international cricket, Zondeki had the dangerous Marvan Atapattu caught behind after the opener had just stroked his way to a half century.
Regardless of whether he plays or not on Wednesday, Donald is virtually certain to be named in the final World Cup squad of XV at the end of the month. So too is Boeta Dippenaar likely to get the nod. This entire summer has been a contest between him and Neil McKenzie for that one batting spot that appears to be on offer.
After McKenzie was axed following the East London match having failed to make the unfamiliar No 3 batting spot his own and Dippenaar managed an undefeated 47 on Monday, it seems that the Free Stater has secured his spot.
Having done all that he possibly could to convince the selectors, Dippenaar might make way for Graeme Smith.
Smith sat out the Paarl game where his replacement Gary Kirsten hammered a century in his first game since being dropped in Morocco in August.
Where exactly Smith will bat though will be interesting.
South Africa: Shaun Pollock (captain), Mark Boucher, Boeta Dippenaar, Allan Donald, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Lance Klusener, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Jonty Rhodes, Graeme Smith, Monde Zondeki.
Pakistan: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzaman Ul Haq, Yousaf Youhana, Rashid Latif, Taufiq Umor, Salim Elahi, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Faisal Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Wasim Akram, Mohammed Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammed Zaid, Misba Ul Haq, Abdur Rassaq. – Sapa