Ahead of Wednesday\u2019s One Day International between the Proteas and New Zealand \u2014 the first since the spellbinding World Cup semifinal \u2014 Hashim Amla said the heartbreak of that defeat was buried in the past.<\/p>\n
That may be so but the tectonic plates shifted beneath the Proteas\u2019 feet when New Zealand knocked them out of a second successive World Cup in February. A rivalry has brewed and New Zealand have become the new Australia.<\/p>\n
South Africa play the Black Caps in the first of three ODIs in Centurion on Wednesday carrying a lot of baggage that was left unresolved by the tied two-match T20 series.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe World Cup is done now\u2026and what\u2019s done is done\u201a\u201d Amla said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe New Zealanders have a new-look team and in some ways so is ours. We are now looking ahead to the Champions Trophy in two years\u2019 time and the captain (AB de Villiers) and coach (Russell Domingo) have been trying to get the right team for that tournament. Losing in Bangladesh was very disappointing but this is a fresh start for everybody.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that we are at home makes it a lot easier. New Zealand are missing some of their frontline players but we\u2019ve always known over the years that they are the kind of team that has good depth. You can see that from the team they brought here. It\u2019s going to be a good contest.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Zealand may have lost the World Cup final to co-hosts Australia but they have replaced their neighbours as the most-feared batting line-up in world cricket \u2014 along with India.<\/p>\n
Captain Brendon McCullum\u201a who isn\u2019t in the country with the visitors\u201a has got his team swinging for the heavens from ball one. They also aim to break toes from the first delivery.<\/p>\n
To beat the Black Caps 3-2 in an ODI series earlier this year\u201a England had to fight fire with fire and adopted the same hair- raising batting approach.<\/p>\n
Amla said South Africa would stick to their balance of offence and calculative measure in this series \u2014 something he said De Villiers was a master at.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe brand of ODI cricket we\u2019ve played has a mixture of attack and an element of measure\u201a\u201d said Amla.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got some quality players in our team that can do both\u201a like AB and Faf [du Plessis] when he\u2019s available. Morne van Wyk will open the batting and throughout the domestic season\u201a he\u2019s been the standout batter who can both attack and bat through an innings.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to think that the South African team can be attacking when the need arises and has the ability to be more circumspect when there\u2019s a need to build the game up towards a late surge.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are a number of Proteas players with points to prove ahead of Wednesday\u2019s clash\u201a chiefly Farhaan Behardien\u201a the 28-year-old phantom all-rounder.<\/p>\n
The No7 batting spot\u201a where Behardien was supposed to provide confidence at the World Cup\u201a is an area where the Proteas can easily get ankle-tapped.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no JP Duminy\u201a who is on family leave\u201a to offer calmness at the back end of innings.<\/p>\n
Amla said: \u201cThere\u2019s a fantastic opportunity for the guys coming in. Guys like David Miller\u201a I would assume\u201a would take on a more senior role. Rilee [Rossouw] will play and Farhaan will get an opportunity to show his worth.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us as well as New Zealand\u201a these types of things are really healthy\u201a especially building up to the Champions Trophy and World Cup in four years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best time to have a look at the depth in the squad is probably now. We have very good depth: there are quality players in the SA A side that is in India and we have brought in Dean Elgar into the squad as batting cover for Faf.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the bowling department you have guys like Marchant de Lange and Lopsy [Lonwabo Tsotsobe]\u201a who are with the A side.\u201d \u2013 The Times<\/p>\n
Source: RDM News Wire.<\/p>\n