Cricket: Challenge of African trip far from fun in sun

Dale Steyn of South Africa is consoled by team-mate Imran Tahir after Black Cap Grant Elliott hit a six to win the World Cup semi final at Eden Park. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Contrasting challenges await New Zealand on their short-form safari to Africa next month.

Zimbabwe are an awkward prospect in their own conditions. In the past four years, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia have been beaten in Harare, which will host all four tour matches, or Bulawayo.

They gave opponents some decent cheek at times during this year's World Cup and they'll have come off five matches against India, starting in Harare tonight, as preparation. New Zealand will do themselves an injustice if they take their hosts for easy beats.

As for South Africa, you only need take the mind back to the night of March 24 at Eden Park, where New Zealand achieved their finest limited-overs moment in 42 years playing the short formats.

Grant Elliott, Dale Steyn, a cleanly-struck six deep into the delirious crowd. A first World Cup final for one team, shattering defeat for the other.

This is not about retribution for South Africa. Beating New Zealand thoroughly will matter not a jot alongside that Cup loss. But South Africa rarely play their cricket at anything other than full intensity. Let's just say New Zealand can be sure that won't change next month.

New Zealand fly out on July 23 and, excluding those on county championship or Caribbean T20 duties, have a week's camp in Potchefstroom, venue for one of the ODIs against South Africa.

Any players thinking this appeals as a nice little jolly in the sun to get away from the bleakness of winter at home are likely to be shortened up on that score pretty quickly.

Bigger fish are in the waters ahead but, not least for those younger players keen to thrust themselves forward, this looks a potentially tricky trip.

• Cricket Australia will take the unprecedented step of playing a Sheffield Shield game overseas to help the test side prepare for a series in New Zealand.

Lincoln - just outside Christchurch - will host a first-class match between NSW and Western Australia next year, starting on February 3.

CA shifted the fixture overseas instead of scheduling a tour game before the two-test series in New Zealand, which starts on February 12.

The majority of test players not involved in the one-day series against the Black Caps are likely to feature in the Sheffield Shield game.