Cricket: Team back down to earth

By RICHARD BOOCK at the World Cup

Denis Aberhart is anxious that the euphoria from New Zealand's win over South Africa is not allowed to disguise some of the less-than-satisfactory aspects of the team's performance.

The national team coach was enjoying a rare low-key day in Johannesburg yesterday as New Zealand wound down from a hectic six days, safe in the knowledge that they had given themselves every chance of qualifying for the second round.

For Aberhart, the trick now will be juggling the need to maintain the buoyant spirits, and the need to make the side aware that, though they snatched a memorable result at the stronghold of South African cricket, their performance was anything but complete.

His biggest concern will be a bowling attack that was plundered for 306 runs, and particularly the form of pace spearhead Shane Bond, who has been unable to live up to his billing in the first three games of the tournament.

Bond, who came to the World Cup with 32 wickets from just 18 one-day internationals, has managed to add just three more in South Africa, and suffered the ignominy of being crashed for 73 runs off his 10 overs on Monday.

Although the former policeman was generating genuine pace at Port Elizabeth against the West Indies, he was more of a Mr Plod against South Africa, and there was a suspicion that he may have been carrying an injury.

However, Aberhart said yesterday that Bond was fit but merely struggling for rhythm, something the coaching staff would be working on during the eight-day layoff before the game at Kimberley against Bangladesh.

"He's just finding it a bit difficult to get his timing, but it can be hard having such a short turnaround between games and we'll be working very hard in the nets to help him recover that rhythm.

"I was very disappointed with the bowling, to be frank. We bowled too many four balls - we were too loose and we gave our fieldsmen little chance, so that's something we'll be addressing over the next few days.

"There were some good moments from Daniel Vettori, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and Andre Adams, but all in all it was a pretty ordinary effort."

With eight more days before their game at Kimberley, New Zealand have opted for a brief change of scenery at Durban before resuming preparations for their campaign, and Aberhart said the semi-break would be healthy for the side.

Vettori (back spasms) and Adams (back soreness) and Nathan Astle (hernia and knee operations required) would appreciate the chance for some recovery time after three games in such a short span of time.

Astle, who shared in a vital partnership with Fleming at the Wanderers, is starting to gain more attention at No 3, after looking solid in what were thought to be makeshift roles against the West Indies and South Africa.

"I think Nathan's been quite impressive at No 3," said Aberhart. "The idea was to protect him from the first five overs because he's so valuable to us, and he's come up with a couple of excellent contributions to prove the point.

"We know how good he is, especially through the middle stages of an innings, so we've developed a plan to give him a better chance of making a contribution."

* Tonight's games:

Pool A: England v Namibia, Port Elizabeth; Zimbabwe v India, Harare, live on Sky Sport Channels 10 and 12, 8.15pm.

Pool B: Sri Lanka v Canada, Paarl.

World Cup schedule

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