DURBAN, (Reuters) – South Africa and Australia reckon today’s decisive one-day game could have a bearing on next month’s test series and both are giving their injured players every chance to prove their fitness for the Durban clash.
The pair are locked on one win apiece in the three-match series with two tests to come at Cape Town and the Wanderers.
“Both teams have a fair few players who are involved in the test team as well as the one-dayers,” Australia captain Michael Clarke told reporters ahead of the day-night match in Durban. “If you win the one-day series you take confidence into the next game you play against the same opposition. There’s nothing better than winning as a team. It’s a great feeling and that’s the feeling you want around any team you are a part of.”
South African counterpart Hashim Amla has the chance to clinch a series win in his first series as captain.
“At the end of the day you want to win the series, you want to take some momentum into the test matches,” he explained.
“We are not putting a lot of pressure on ourselves. The last game was basically a final for us, if we had lost that we would have lost the series. The way the guys played in the last game was an inspiration and we will try to bring that into the next game.”
Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher suffered a painful blow on his right index finger during a net session on Thursday but a team spokesman said Boucher had a “bit of discomfort but nothing untoward” and that the player should be fine for Friday’s match.
Australia have slight worries over all rounder Shane Watson (back) and batsman Shaun Marsh (shoulder) but Clarke said the pair had both trained well on Wednesday and could play.
