Full strength Proteas jet in for Test match

WORLD'S best cricket team South Africa flew into the capital yesterday ahead of the start of their Test match against Zimbabwe on Saturday with the Proteas captain and top order batsman Hashim Amla insisting that they will not take the hosts lightly despite having dominated previous meetings between the two sides.

Zimbabwe will face South Africa in a one off Test match at Harare Sports Club after which the two sides will travel to Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo for a series of three One Day Internationals starting on August 17. Former World champions Australia will then join them on August 22 for the Triangular One Day series. Amla led his men after they had touched down shortly after midday and the right-handed batsman later addressed the media at a Press conference at a Harare hotel where he maintained that it would be business as usual for the Proteas.

"We are not taking the Test for granted, we want to win and play intensely as we did against Sri Lanka," he said.

The last time South Africa were in Zimbabwe for a Test match, the tourists won the two game series 1-0 after the second match was drawn.

The Proteas had won the opening game by nine wickets. But Amla said all that was history and the Proteas would approach the contest against Zimbabwe like any other Test match.

"This will be a clash of two proud cricketing countries as Zimbabwe are a good side which is very capable of causing an upset, we are expecting a very competitive test".

The Proteas captain also said there would be a degree of pressure going into the game despite the fact that they have been dominant whenever the two sides met.

Amla was recently appointed captain of the current world's best cricket playing nation and led his side to an emphatic victory over Sri-Lanka last month that saw the Proteas claiming the top spot on the latest International Cricket Council world rankings.

And it is from such a performance that Amla feels his side should draw inspiration to continue from where they left off. But he believes South Africa would need not to underrate Zimbabwe despite the majority of the Chevrons having struggled against Afghanistan  despite playing as Zimbabwe A last month.

"Naturally as the best team in the world there are expectations that we should perform better and there is a certain amount of pressure that comes with that but we have to build on our performance because this a World Cup year.

"When I was appointed captain, my first idea was not to make South Africa number one but it was all about making it a successful team and it was going to be difficult. Being a World Cup year this is not a bad tour we get to play one Test, Australia will be coming and so we are looking forward to a competitive series.

"I have not been following Zimbabwean cricket of late (against Afghanistan) because we were on tour against Sri-Lanka so I am not expecting anything from Zimbabwe but all I know is that they are a side that has been competitive against us whenever we play them,'' Amla said.

For this series, South Africa have rested the right arm fast bowling duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel while all rounder Vernon Philander also takes a break.

This, however, will see the introduction of uncapped left-handed batsman Rilee Rossouw and the bowling duo of bowlers Mthokozisi Shezi, Marchant de Lange and Kyle Abbot. The trio of Steyn, Morkel and Philander  are expected to later join the rest of the squad for the tri-series, which also includes Australia.

Zimbabwe Squad: Tino Mawoyo, Vusi Sibanda, Mark Vermeulen, Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor (Captain), Sean Williams, Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Regis Chakabva, Richmond Mutumbami, John Nyumbu, Natsai M'shangwe, Prosper Utseya, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Steven Chimhamhiwa, Cuthbert Musoko, Luke Jongwe, Tinashe Panyangara, Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara, Shingi Masakadza, Michael Chinouya, Neville Madziva, Taurai Muzarabani, Lovemore Gumunyu-Manatsa.