GRAEME SMITH: EDEN PARK MAY BE PROTEAS GREATEST CHALLENGE   23 Mar 2015

Both teams have played an aggressive brand of cricket, but the Proteas will have taken note of New Zealand's narrow victories batting second.
 
When one mentions the countries, South Africa and New Zealand, in the same sentence one automatically thinks of the great rugby union rivalry between the two nations that has been ongoing since 1921.

Legendary South African rugby player, Boy Louw, possibly said it best: "When South Africa plays New Zealand, consider your country at war". These words, uttered before the first test in 1949, just as Louw had returned from World War II where, he had fought as a bombardier.

The history between the Proteas and Black Caps stretches back to 1932 but is not spoken with the same reverence as the rivalry between their rugby counterparts. Whilst, there has been a healthy competition with some great games it hasn’t delivered the same consistent intensity as the oval ball fixtures over the years. This, however, is about to change.

The Proteas and Black Caps come into this semi-final both having displayed a propensity to play an aggressive and attacking brand of cricket throughout the tournament thus far. Both teams have also thrown caution to the wind and opted to stack their respective sides with match winners and individuals who can take the game away from the opposition.
" In ancient Rome, “munus” was a Latin word used to describe a gladiatorial show. I have a strong feeling that Eden Park will become the coliseum on Tuesday. "

Like a gladiatorial bout, the semi-final simply has to have a conclusive outcome, meaning that the endurance and stamina of one of the competitors will have to give way by the completion of the 100 overs.

It is desperately hard to pick a winner of this duel and many factors will come into play. Eden Park has hosted three World Cup fixtures thus far this tournament and all have been fairly low scoring bar one. This includes the Pakistani defeat of the Proteas in the pool stage.

This is in stark contrast to the pre-tournament predictions that the dimensions of the field would ensure high scoring contests.  The distance to the ropes beyond each end of the pitch is only 55 metres from the centre of the wicket whilst behind the batsman the rope is only 45 metres away.

The Eden Park ground may actually be greatest challenge facing the Proteas on the day. The smaller field aided by a nation swept up in the euphoria of their team’s success will undoubtedly serve to disrupt the visiting team and the Proteas will know they need to settle into a rhythm as soon as possible to have any chance of progressing. Something which was definitely lacking against India.

The ball has been swinging more in New Zealand than it has in Australia this tournament hence the difficult choice facing the Proteas selectors when deciding on the identity of the third seamer. As opposed to Sri Lanka, who were especially destructive in the last ten overs, New Zealand have been chiefly severe on opposition attacks in the first ten overs. This may lead the selectors to opt for Vernon Philander’s control as opposed to Kyle Abbott’s aggression. However, the prevalence of conditions favouring swing may assist the latter’s cause on the day.
" For all the hype around the two New Zealand openers, the Proteas will take heart from the fact that Guptill averages 11.5 against them in ten innings and McCullum 30.77 in 25 innings. "

On the whole the Black Caps XI is well balanced and settled and has been on the offensive since day one. They haven’t doubted their strategy, execution or ultimate objective for a moment. However, for all their fortes, chinks in their armour have also been exposed.

Against Scotland and Australia they made relatively modest run chases look problematic and also snuck in against Bangladesh though chasing a slightly more imposing score. Initially, it seemed as though the batting line-up was over dependent on McCullum and Williamson but all of the top and middle-order have now contributed and shown signs of very dangerous form. Nevertheless, the Proteas will have taken note their narrow victories batting second in an attempt to derive benefit from any perceived weakness.


The make-up of their fifth bowler, like the Proteas, has also been a source of contention but has yet to prove as consequential as some may have thought. New Zealand has only once has to bowl out their allotted 50 overs (against Bangladesh) hence the Proteas will know the importance of batting deep into their innings so to try and exploit the minimum of ten overs bowled between Anderson and Elliot.

Come Tuesday we will know the winner of the “war” which Boy Louw spoke of 66 years ago.

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