Klusener returns to action, replacing Pollock

Dunedin: New Zealand go into the crucial fourth one-day International match against South Africa on Tuesday riding high after back-to-back wins, but their hopes of taking an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the series have been tempered by injury.

The Black Caps’ new-ball paceman Daryl Tuffey has been sidelined with a knee injury, joining South African key allrounder Shaun Pollock, who is out with a groin strain. Thus, he’ll miss his first one-day International in four years.

Even with the bowling attacks levelled, New Zealand are still in the rare position of having the upper hand over the world’s second-ranked side, but skipper Stephen Fleming said there was no sign of complacency.

“We’re realistic, we know each time we beat them they’ll come back stronger, so we have to keep improving and looking for holes we can nip through and expose,” he said.

New Zealand have never beaten the Proteas in a one-day or Test series, but history favours them at Carisbrook, where they have won three of their last four games, including a seven-wicket win during South Africa’s 1999 tour.

“We’ve had some key victories at key times. Usually they’ve been at the end of a series, now we’re in the middle, but we have a chance of being unbeatable,” Fleming said.

New Zealand also led 2-1 in the 1999 series against South Africa only to lose the fourth and fifth matches and go down 2-3 when the sixth game in Wellington was washed out.

Captain Stephen Fleming was happy to see the back of Pollock. “We think he’s the key to their bowling,” he said. “Someone with Pollock’s experience could be sorely missed.”

South Africa must now prove that once again they can come out fighting under pressure, and captain Graeme Smith is demanding his bowlers step up.

Pacemen Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Jacques Kallis have been cannon fodder for Fleming in recent matches.

“The last two games we’ve been outdone in the basics, and that’s something we’ve been really good at over the last couple of months,” Smith said.

“We are tired, we’ve been playing for a long time but it’s not an excuse. We are playing for our country and tomorrow we’ve got to go out and perform.”

Explosive allrounder Lance Klusener will return to the squad from a back injury to replace Pollock, who is hoping to be fit for the fifth game in Auckland on Saturday.

Prolific opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs turned 30 on Tuesday, and although he has a reputation for liking a good time and was once caught on a drinking session on the eve of an International, he said he has put birthday celebrations on hold this time.

“I’ll have to wait until tomorrow after the game and from what I’ve seen it’s a good place to go out,” said Gibbs who showed glimpses of his best form in Wellington on Friday, smashing 69 off 64 balls.

“It’s just a number you know. I still feel like I’m 24, 25,” said Gibbs, who has 4,694 one-day runs from 146 matches. “From a cricketing point of view guys tend to play their best cricket when they’re 30 and above, so hopefully the best years are still to come.”

With Tuffey injured, Michael Mason has been brought back into the New Zealand side for his fourth International and will partner Kyle Mills with the new ball. The forecast for Tuesday was hardly encouraging with rain set to strike before the day-night game begins.

Teams

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Michael Papps, Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Michael Mason.

South Africa (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Rudolph, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Lance Klusener, Albie Morkel, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Robin Peterson.