South Africa 'A' have to win to stay alive
Source: Cricinfo - Keith Lane - 10 September 2002

The South African `A' team, to have any further say in the seven-match series, has to beat the Australian visitors tomorrow in the fourth game starting Wednesday morning in Johannesburg at the Wanderers Stadium.

The first two games were close affairs, with the South Africans showing their fighting ability but losing on both occasions. The third game saw the Australians winning by a comfortable margin.

In all three games the South African batting was well below the standard that this team can produce. Gary Kirsten, left out for the next two matches, Loots Bosman and Neil McKenzie has not contributed at all. Between them they have scored 15 runs.

The middle order has on each occasion come to the wicket under tremendous pressure and Martin van Jaarsveld and Errol Stewart can look back on three satisfying games, while Robin Peterson, Ashwell Prince and Justin Kemp have shown flashes of what they are capable of.

It is imperative that the South Africans get off to a good start and set a platform for the free flowing middle order to build on. Without that platform the South Africans can laugh the series goodbye.

The bowlers have on a whole performed well but not yet at their best.

Steve Elworthy and David Terbrugge have bowled well, moving the ball generally through the air and off the pitch. Peterson, with the most wickets amongst the South Africans, has caused the Australians some problems. Andrew Hall, in his one outing, bowled well enough and one hopes that he gets a chance to bowl while the ball is still new.

The rest of the bowlers have not been consistent enough with one or two balls an over racing away to the ropes.

For the Australians there will be no pressure. They will, as all Australian teams do, not take their lead for granted and come out with all guns blazing.

A formidable batting line-up that includes Justin Langer, Greg Blewett, Simon Katich, Michael Hussey and the young Michael Clarke. All are capable of taking any attack to pieces. From what has been shown on this tour the rest of the batsmen all know how to hold a bat.

Clarke in particular is a player with a big future waiting for him. He shows signs of a class player, good balance, good footwork and has what a lot of great players seem to have, a lot of time to play his shots. He does however try and hit the ball very hard.

In the bowling department Brad Williams, with eight wickets, has given the South Africans lots to think about. Aggressive as he is with the ball so he is with his words, already having had some verbal confrontation with Mornantau Hayward and Andrew Hall. He has been well supported by Ian Harvey and Brad Hogg.

All in all it should be another Australian win, but if the South Africans play to their true potential then there just might be some live left in this series.

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