New Zealand are very happy with the format of the 2005/2006 cricket series against South Africa, in which the tour is split in two, with a short one-day tour now and a three-Test series in April.
”It’s great for us, because it means we don’t have to adjust to a different form of the game in the middle of the tour,” said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, shortly after the team’s arrival in South Africa on Tuesday for a tour that includes five one-day internationals and a 20-20 match.
”Usually we have longer tours, lasting eight or nine weeks To have a four-week tour, where you are concentrating on one form of the game is to our benefit. Certainly, that’s the way we’re treating it.
”We also look forward to coming back here in April for the Test series,” added Fleming.
”I love playing Test cricket here, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Gerald Majola explained that the tour had been split because of the Super Series between world champions Australia and the World XI.
”Originally, it was to have been held in September, but Australia asked for the Super Series to be moved to October,” explained Majola. ”After that, we had to split the tour.”
Fleming said he was looking forward to going head-to-head with his South African counterpart, Graeme Smith. He denied that there was any tension between them, despite the sharp verbal exchange between them during the South African tour of New Zealand in 2004.
”What happened there was purely tactical — it wasn’t personal, as was portrayed in the media,” said Fleming.
”I like the guy. He’s an ever-developing captain, with a great opportunity ahead of him, now that he is captaining the World XI in the Test against Australia later this week. He’s also a very successful player.
”I think he has developed incredibly well, and he has been leading the side very well. I think his batting has been the key to all that, He’s been batting very well for the last 12 to 18 months.” – Sapa