South Africa have it all to do in the second Standard Bank one-day international at Goodyear Park on Wednesday, following their two-one defeat in the Castle Lager/MTN Test series against England, and their 26 run defeat in the first match at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Talented newcomer AB de Villiers, who made 92 and 109 in the fifth Test, is expected to be included in the line-up for Wednesday, although it is not clear whether he will open the batting. Captain Graeme Smith’s regular opening partner Herschelle Gibbs has a slight groin strain, and De Villiers may bat in his place, but if Gibbs is fit, De Villiers is likely to bat lower down the order, probably replacing Adam Bacher.
Smith indicated on Tuesday that Mark Boucher is likely to keep wicket. ”He started the series as wicketkeeper, and I think he will continue,” said Smith.
All rounder Andrew Hall may also return to the team, after the disappointing bowling performance by Justin Kemp on Sunday. The English batsmen hammered 25 runs off Kemp’s three overs.
Smith said the team needed another bowler, in addition to Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel, who could take responsibility for 10 overs. ”There are enough of us [Smith, Nicky Boje and Jacques Kallis] to take care of the remaining 10 overs,” he said.
Smith, who turned 24 on Tuesday, said it was very important for South Africa to get back on track, and start winning again. ”Once we get a start in this series — once we get the first win — that will give us a lot of confidence for the rest of the series. So it’s important that we do it here in Bloemfontein.”
Smith said it was very important to get a good partnership going at the start.
”Perhaps we were a bit gung-ho at the Wanderers,” he said.
”There were one or two soft dismissals. We need to get through those first six or seven overs and then push on from there.
”We need to have wickets in hand, so that we can put pressure on their bowlers. If you’ve lost five or six wickets, you can’t exert any pressure.”
England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, who opened the batting for England with Marcus Trescothick on Sunday, said he would continue to open.
Jones said there was a very good feeling in the England camp, after winning the Test series and the first ODI. ”We know it’s going to be tough, but after the wins we’ve had, we’re just looking to keeping that going, and we intend to win tomorrow. But we’ll be taking it game by game, but we’ve got a very positive outlook on it
all.”
Teams South Africa (from) : Graeme Smith (capt), Nicky Boje (vice capt), Adam Bacher, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Ashwell Prince, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph.
England (from): Michael Vaughan (capt), Kabir Ali, James Anderson, Gareth Batty, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Ashley Giles, Darren Gough, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Marcus
Trescothick, Alex Wharf. – Sapa