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Proteas to stick with big guns

Cape Town - The Proteas won't be resting on their laurels in their upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

This was the view of team manager Mohammed Moosajee after Graeme Smith's side completed a stunning 309-run victory over Australia in Perth on Monday to cement their spot atop the ICC Test rankings.

They will now come up against lowly New Zealand in ODIs, Tests and T20s over the festive period. The Kiwis are ranked at No 8 in Test match cricket - only ahead of fellow strugglers Bangladesh, which could leave many to call for a few key players to be rested for the series, especially with a tougher series against Pakistan to follow in February.

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However, Moosajee assured fans they won't be taking things lightly in the two Tests against the Kiwis.

"Everyone wants to be part of the Tests. And we also don't want to take our feet off the pedal now," he told the Beeld website.

According to Moosajee, the players could be given a chance to rest in the ODIs and T20s. He revealed the only injury concern is that of Jacques Kallis.

Kallis suffered a hamstring injury in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide which preventing him from bowling for the remainder of the series. He will be rested over the next few weeks.

Apart from a warm-up game in Pietermaritzburg, New Zealand start their clashes against South Africa with three T20 internationals on 21,23 and 26 December, followed by two Tests (2-6 January and 11-15 January) and three one-day internationals (January 19,22 and 25).

South Africa's three-Test series against Pakistan starts on February 1 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
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