Cape Town – South Africa would be forgiven for looking ahead to the looming tour to New Zealand now that the ODI series against Sri Lanka has been wrapped up, but JP Duminy says the Proteas will be fully focused at Newlands on Tuesday.
Duminy and the rest of the Proteas ODI squad leave for the Land of the Long Cloud on Saturday and open the tour with a T20 International against the Black Caps just four days later at Eden Park in Auckland.
However, before boarding the plane, the Proteas still have two ODI's to complete against Sri Lanka with Tuesday's fourth match and the final one in Centurion on Friday closing off the international summer here at home.
Captain AB de Villiers has already stated he wants his team to complete a second successive 5-0 ODI whitewash after walloping world champions Australia by the same scoreline at the beginning of the season. There is though an extra carrot now being dangled with the Proteas able to jump to the No 1 spot on the ICC ODI rankings if they win their next two matches.
Considering the way the tourists have surrendered thus far in the first three matches of the ODI series, it would be expected for the Proteas to complete the job but Duminy though is not taking anything for granted.
"Not quite yet," Duminy said in response to being asked by the media at Newlands on Monday whether the Kiwis were on the Proteas' radar. "We focusing on beating Sri Lanka but it’s a quick turnaround for New Zealand. We going to try and win tomorrow's game because we've always had one eye on 5-0.
"I think for now we are focused on what is important to us leading into the Champions Trophy, taking it series by series, game by game. If we are ranked No 1 in the world it will be a bonus."
Everything the Proteas are doing in ODI cricket this year is, of course, in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy that is set to take place in the United Kingdom in May. After the Sri Lankan series there is a five-match series against the Black Caps and three ODI’s against hosts England.
Kane Williamson’s New Zealand outfit will certainly provide a greater test than the Sri Lankans have done thus far, especially after they downed the Aussies 2-0 in a three-match series last week.
The beauty of the current Proteas setup, though, is that they have concentrated solely on how their team is functioning and the individuals within it rather than wasting energy on the opposition’s form. This has enabled new players to come into the setup and perform from the moment they join the team.
The Wanderers Man of the Match Dwaine Pretorius is case in point. The Highveld Lions all-rounder has not had much international action of late, but put into a barnstorming performance at his home ground when he claimed 3/19 to clean up the Sri Lankan tail.
“It is something we focused on since August. Playing for each other, doing the small things right. Create a team environment which guys can thrive in. Doing the basics well,” Duminy said.
“We are a squad of players, whoever gets an opportunity is an honour in itself. It’s a great opportunity for them to showcase their talents. Look at a guy like Dwaine Pretorius in the last game, he came in and took the MOM award, and that’s what we are about. Guys who come in and take their opportunities and they have done that.”
After missing out last Saturday in the “Pink ODI” it likely that all-rounder Wayne Parnell will get another “opportunity” at his home ground while his Titans counterpart Chris Morris sits out here at Newlands.
It’s all very much of muchness for the Proteas at the moment but like Duminy also said “everyone was critical of us last year” when results were not forthcoming the time right now is to enjoy the success of the national cricket team ahead of greater challenges that lay ahead.
SQUADS FOR NEWLANDS
South Africa:
AB de Villiers (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi
Sri Lanka:
Upul Tharanga (capt), Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Madushanka, Asela Gunaratne, Sandun Weerakkody, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Kusal Mendis, Chaturanga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Lakshan Sandakan, Vikum Sanjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay.
Start:
1:30pm
TV:
SS2, Sabc3 Radio: Sabc Radio2000
STATS PACK
· Quinton de Kock is averaging 19.66 in this series which pales in comparison to his overall ODI average at home of 52.95.
· South Africa have only faced Sri Lanka once previously at Newlands when they defeated the tourists by 99 runs in 2001.
· Sri Lanka have though tasted victory in Cape Town when they beat the West Indies by runs in the 2003 World Cup.
· Niroshan Dickwella’s 74 at the Wanderers was the highest score by a Sri Lankan batsman across formats for the duration of the tour.
· The last time Sri Lanka played an ODI in the Western Cape they were dismissed for 43 in 2012. It was AB de Villiers’s first match as captain of the Proteas ODI team