SA vs Eng 3rd ODI - South Africa Look to Bounce Back

Cape Town: South Africa have underperformed in its last two games against England, but its players have worked hard in practice and are eager to bounce back in the third One-dayer at Newlands, says captain Graeme Smith.

In the wake of the seven-wicket defeat at Centurion on Sunday that put England 1-0 up in the series with three matches to play, Smith said his team had to up its game if it wanted to compete.

He said he did not set too much store by the notion that whoever batted first in a Newlands day-nighter was almost assured of winning.

The Proteas captain also said no special attention would be paid to South Africa-born England batsman Jonathan Trott, who has been in good form on tour and who struck a fine 87 at Centurion.

Trott's origins and the fact that he was a former teammate in the SA under-19 and Western Province teams did not bother him, Smith said. If anything pained him about Trott, it was that someone in an England shirt was scoring runs against South Africa.

Reflecting on the number of South African-born players now playing for other countries, Smith joked that someone should "work with the Rand (the South African currency)."

"These days it's more financial," Smith said in reference to South African players moving abroad and trying to secure good contracts.

England captain Andrew Strauss said it would be important for his side to maintain its winning momentum in the current series.

England are expected to bring back allrounder Stuart Broad after injury, while the Proteas might bolster their bowling resources by including left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell.

Strauss is also hoping to be able to select off-spinner Graeme Swann, who was battling to overcome a side strain.

Swann bowled at Wednesday's practice session but if he is not fit to play, off-spinner James Tredwell and leg-spinner Adil Rashid would be competing for the spinner's spot in the team.

There is also be a measure of concern about the fitness of England fast bowler James Anderson.

Team news

South Africa: Alviro Petersen produced a composed half-century at Centurion to enhance his claims to a middle-order berth, but Gibbs' return to the set-up highlights the concerns about South Africa's middle-order inexperience. Charl Langeveldt has a shoulder problem, and could also miss out.

Squad (likely): Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Alviro Petersen, Mark Boucher (wk), Ryan McLaren, Roelof van der Merwe, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn

England: Broad's return will bolster the lower-order batting, and allow Sajid Mahmood to slip out of the firing line after a difficult couple of weeks. Swann could also return as the frontline spinner, although Tredwell remains on standby.

Squad (likely): Andrew Strauss (capt), Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wk), Luke Wright, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Anderson

Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa - LWWLW
England - WLLWW

Stats and trivia

• If Gibbs does play at Newlands, he will have happy memories of the last time he faced England on his home ground, in 2004-05. Back then he scored a century in a total of 291 for 5, as England in turn were bowled out for 183.
• Newlands is, by some distance, South Africa's favourite home venue in ODI cricket. In 27 matches since 1992, they have won 24 and lost just three, most recently against West Indies in the opening match of the 2003 World Cup.

Match facts
Friday, November 27, 2009
Start time 14:30 local time, 12:30 GMT, 13:30 EST