Batting gives the South Africans the edge - Cricket World Cup 2011

It is a contest between a team still looking for its finest World Cup moment and the other whose best in the competition can only be sighted far in the rear-view mirror.

If South Africa is waiting for its time to come, two-time winner West Indies is also looking to turn the clock back.

On Thursday, One-Day International cricket returns to the Ferozeshah Kotla after December 2009, and the untested surface adds to the excitement of the first match of this World Cup where there is no overwhelming favourite.

The pitch will come under scrutiny with the curators too keeping their fingers crossed. Despite heavy rolling and lot of grass being shaved off, concerns over possible low bounce at one end remain.

Overall, the South African batting line-up looks like it will be more than a handful for the West Indies attack. This may well prove to be the decisive factor. But, then, turning things around is well within the West Indies' scope.

Either way, the outcome of the match may not impact the teams' prospects of reaching the quarterfinals — these sides are more than capable of beating Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Eyeing a grand exit?

South African skipper Graeme Smith has reasons to be more anxious than his West Indies counterpart, Darren Sammy. Smith has given indications that this may be his last World Cup, and he will obviously be keen to sign off in glory.

Though the squad has 11 players making their World Cup debuts, South Africa is among the favourites. A fine mix of batsmen suited for one-dayers, a choice of all-rounders, variety in both pace and spin departments, traditionally awe-inspiring fielding — all add up to make South Africa a winning combination.

The line-up, including Smith, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Ab de Villiers and Jean-Paul Duminy, reflects the expertise and experience to worry any attack in this form of the game. With tearaway bowlers like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe, not to forget a hungry Wayne Parnell, at its disposal, the pace battery appears compact. Add the never-before options like off-spinner Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, a left-arm spinner with all-round capabilities and Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir, and the South African attack assumes menacing proportions. No wonder, some of the ex-South African cricketers have called it their best World Cup squad.

‘Dangerous side'

About the West Indies, Smith said on Wednesday: “Consistency has always been an issue with them when it comes to playing in a series of four to five matches. But you can't take away the fact they have real match-winners in their squad. They are a dangerous side, especially in a one-off game…especially in a World Cup.”

West Indies, winless in the one-dayers against Test-playing nations since June 2009, has the potential to cause upsets. What makes the side “dangerous” is its blend of explosive power and energetic young talent. The side may not have the experience of its rival but has some names capable of turning a match on its head.

Sammy, his deputy Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, seasoned campaigner Ramnaresh Sarwan and the ever-so-steady Shivnarine Chanderpaul represent the depth in batting.

The pace-attack consisting Kemar Roach, spoken very highly of, along with Ravi Rampaul, Sammy and Dwayne Bravo is far from menacing but together with the spin options in Gayle and left-arm spinners Sulieman Benn and Nikita Miller provide the variety.

Sammy said the “quietly confident” team was keen to go “step by step” in the competition.

“We have a well-balanced side and if we play to our full potential, who knows what could happen. After all, the one-day game is about doing well on that day. And doing what it takes.”

The teams (from):

South Africa: Graeme Smith (Captain), Hashim Amla, Morne van Wyk, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Colin Ingram, Wayne Parnell and Imran Tahir.

West Indies: Darren Sammy (Captain), Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Nikita Miller, Sulieman Benn, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Kieron Pollard, Devon Smith, Kirk Edwards, Andre Russel and Devon Thomas.

Umpires: Simon Taufel and Amish Saheba, Third umpire: Asoka de Silva; Fourth umpire: Richard Kettleborough.

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.

Match starts at 2.30 pm .

Source: Hindu