Quarter-final Preview: South Africa start as favourites against New Zealand

By Jamie Alter

 

On recent form, South Africa look ominous favourites. They have the best-rounded bowling attack, a middle order which has found its groove and a legend in Jacques Kallis.

By Jamie Alter

 

Dhaka: March 25, 2011

 

It’s apt how the quarter-finals have panned out. Forgetting for a second how the first one panned out – the match was so bad, it didn’t deserve a knock-out status – each of the first three quarter-finals have pitted teams with a sense of rivalry against each other. Pakistan and West Indies have a history of not doing too many dull games, India v Pakistan is the premier rivalry in world cricket today, and South Africa against New Zealand is a fairly loaded enmity in itself.

 

On the face of it, this may seem like a no-contest, but consider the history South Africa and New Zealand share. If you’re a numbers man, ponder the figures over the last decade. Of 24 games contested between these two teams, South Africa have won 13, New Zealand 10. Who can forget the 2003 World Cup match between these two teams, in which Stephen Fleming’s superb unbeaten century overhauled a daunting total without so much as breaking a sweat? Or the low-scoring thriller played out at the Brabourne Stadium during the 2006 Champions Trophy? In between, there were fiercely contested matches which were settled by margins of four wickets, five runs, two runs, and two wickets (twice, once with no deliveries left).

 

On recent form, South Africa look ominous favourites. They have the best-rounded bowling attack, a middle order which has found its groove and a legend in Jacques Kallis. The worry is the form of their captain, Graeme Smith, even though Hashim Amla’s form has helped mask that over tremendously. Like England’s Jonathan Trott, Amla has gone about collecting runs prolifically and with no fuss. Cool, calm and collected, Amla presents a massive threat for New Zealand whose bowlers have struggled to make inroads at the start of an innings.

 

New Zealand will be boosted by the return of Daniel Vettori, their captain and best bowler who missed the last two group matches due to a knee injury. They will also hope Kyle Mills recovers from a niggle and returns to add some zip to the attack.

 

The Mirpur surface has held up regularly, indicating that tomorrow batting won’t be smooth. Thus, New Zealand may be tempted to retain Kane Williamson so that he can bowl his off-spin alongside Vettori and Nathan McCullum. South Africa will once again look to their spin trio of Robin Peterson, Johan Botha and Imran Tahir to bowl a lot of overs and take a lot of wickets. Each has made his presence felt in the tournament, taking wickets all throughout the batting orders, and against a side that doesn’t play spin too well, South Africa will carry a swagger.

 

John Wright, New Zealand’s coach, has called on the veteran all-rounder Scott Styris to step up. Styris has had a quiet tournament, with just 69 runs at an average of 17.25 and four wickets from 26.4 overs. He can expect to bat in the top five against South Africa, and his medium-pace will be very handy on a surface expected to assist spin.

 

In the lead-up to the tournament you would not have picked South Africa v New Zealand as a marquee clash. But with matches unfolding as they have, tense contests have become the norm, and these two teams know a thing or two about that.

 

Teams:

 

South Africa (probable): Graeme Smith (c), Hashim Amla, Jaques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Morne van Wyk (wk), Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.

 

New Zealand (probable):  Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (wk), Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Kane Williamson/James Franklin, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (c), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee.

 

Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Rod Tucker (Australia)

 

Time: 14:00 local (08.30 GMT)

 

(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. His first book, The History of World Cup Cricket, is out now. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter.)

 

Pictures © Getty Images

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