Cape Town - Proteas captain, AB de Villiers, says it will be important to continue with the winning momentum despite some wholesale changes for the fourth Momentum One-Day International (ODI) against the West Indies at St George’s Park on Sunday.
The Proteas are aiming to give every player in the squad some game time in the last two matches of the series, of which they hold an unassailable 3-0 lead.
“We are definitely making a few changes,” De Villiers said on Saturday. “The most obvious ones are Dale (Steyn) and Hash (Amla) who aren’t here, they have been rested. Hash will come back for the last one and Dale has been rested for the series. We are also thinking of giving one or two of the other bowlers a rest over the next few games.
“Whether we make a few changes or not, it’s important for us to keep winning. There is nothing more powerful than winning games of cricket, especially leading up to that all important World Cup.”
De Villiers will not take the gloves, with Morne van Wyk set to take over the responsibilities.
“Morne van Wyk will probably get a game tomorrow as well, and I will run around in the field a little bit,” he said. “There are a few changes but it’s important for us to win and we will play the same brand of cricket.”
The captain stressed the importance of adapting to the St George’s Park conditions, which offer the traditional slower assistance familiar to the coast.
“It’s reacted similar to most coastal wickets over the years,” he said of conditions. “It’s slower and lower but I don’t think it will be as slow as East London. Most coastal wickets in South Africa are slow and there is something there in the first few overs. We will assess tomorrow and see what happens like we do at all grounds that we play at. We will look at the conditions, communicate well and try and find out the lengths and lines that will work on this particular deck.”
The Proteas are aiming to give every player in the squad some game time in the last two matches of the series, of which they hold an unassailable 3-0 lead.
“We are definitely making a few changes,” De Villiers said on Saturday. “The most obvious ones are Dale (Steyn) and Hash (Amla) who aren’t here, they have been rested. Hash will come back for the last one and Dale has been rested for the series. We are also thinking of giving one or two of the other bowlers a rest over the next few games.
“Whether we make a few changes or not, it’s important for us to keep winning. There is nothing more powerful than winning games of cricket, especially leading up to that all important World Cup.”
De Villiers will not take the gloves, with Morne van Wyk set to take over the responsibilities.
“Morne van Wyk will probably get a game tomorrow as well, and I will run around in the field a little bit,” he said. “There are a few changes but it’s important for us to win and we will play the same brand of cricket.”
The captain stressed the importance of adapting to the St George’s Park conditions, which offer the traditional slower assistance familiar to the coast.
“It’s reacted similar to most coastal wickets over the years,” he said of conditions. “It’s slower and lower but I don’t think it will be as slow as East London. Most coastal wickets in South Africa are slow and there is something there in the first few overs. We will assess tomorrow and see what happens like we do at all grounds that we play at. We will look at the conditions, communicate well and try and find out the lengths and lines that will work on this particular deck.”