Scotland vs South Africa preview

Posted on | March 20, 2007 | No Comments

South Africa will look to win their second game in a row before their big clash with Australia when they meet Scotland in St Kitts on Tuesday.

The Proteas massacred the Netherlands, scoring 353 in the run curtailed encounter. Herschelle Gibbs scored six sixes in an over, a record which is unlikely to be equalled again in the World Cup. Jacques Kallis scored his first century of the WC, and that would be an important psychological boost for the all rounder. Boucher and Smith came to the party in that game too. Only De Villiers missed out, scoring 0, but the Northern Titans man knows that he is too good a player to miss out here. Makhaya Ntini will be back for this game after missing the Holland one, and either Andrew Hall or Andre Nel will make way for him. I suspect it will be Nel, because Hall provides the extra batting option. Shaun Pollock was as mean as a miser against the Dutch, and he is likely to be accurate as ever against the Scots.

The Scots know that defeat in this game would mean the end of their World Cup campaign. Australia took them to the cleaners in the first game, and they should expect something similar from this match. Captain Craig Wright has gone home for a funeral and in his absence, Ryan Watson will take over as skipper. Watson has played with Boucher and Graeme Smith as a schoolboy, and he does know a bit about their style of play. Hoffmann will hold the key with the ball. Colin Smith their keeper, scored his first half century against the Aussies and more performances like that will be required if the Scots are to have a chance of winning.

South Africa to win this. No two ways about it. Graeme Smith to get some runs under his belt. Kallis to again shine with the bat, and  Ntini and Pollock to wreak havoc with the ball

Related posts:

1. Netherlands vs Scotland preview
2. South Africa vs England preview
3. South Africa vs Sri Lanka preview
4. South Africa vs Bangladesh
5. South Africa vs West Indies preview

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