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| Sunday, 27 January 2002 |
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Three big guns firing for South Africa's crucial game: Ford ADELAIDE, Australia, Jan 26 (AFP) - Explosive pace pair Allan Donald and Makhaya Ntini and star all-rounder Jacques Kallis are expected to be in action for South Africa in Sunday's crucial one-day tri-nations series clash with New Zealand here. Proteas' coach Graham Ford said Saturday it was almost certain the trio would be pronounced fit for the Adelaide Oval shootout which his side must win to have a realistic chance of making next month's best-of-three finals. "The indications are that they should all be available," Ford said. "Hopefully, we will have the whole gang available to us." To give players maximum time to regain fitness, the Proteas will not finalise their team until just before the start of the day-night clash. South Africa, sitting on only eight points after losing their past three matches, are at the bottom of the ladder, headed by New Zealand (12), with Australia second (nine). Donald, the most experienced member of the South African attack, has made good progresss after being out of action for three games because of an injured finger on his right (bowling) hand. Ntini played in the last game, but was restricted by a hamstring problem. He is considered to have recovered sufficiently to fire down 10 penetrating overs at the Kiwis. Kallis has overcome an ankle problem which kept him out of the last game, and his return should add muscle to the side's bowling and batting. Ford said the side remained determined to reach the showdown in the 190,000 dollar (95,000 US) tournament. "We want to keep things alive, and our intention is to win this triangular series," he said. The big test for the Proteas will be to lift themselves from the psychological cellar after an eight-wicket mauling by Australia in Sydney Tuesday when they were bundled out for 106 in a humiliating 38.3 overs. Six batsmen failed to score -- a record in one-day internationals. The string of one-day defeats comes hot on the heels of a 0-3 drubbing by Australia in a one-sided Test series. |
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