Cricket World Cup: Proteas chasing vengeance

The Blacks Caps will be up against Dale Steyn's blistering pace at Eden Park tomorrow. Photo / AP

Memory of bitter quarter-final tiff four years ago is still fresh in the mind of Du Plessis and his teammates.

It wasn't mentioned yesterday but that might have been because David Miller wasn't playing the last time New Zealand and South Africa met at the World Cup.

Miller, South Africa's aggressive middle order lefthander, was the designated speaker at a press conference after their practice at Eden Park.

He wasn't in the XI in Dhaka four years ago when the teams clashed in a quarter-final but bet your last dollar the memory of that game is nestling in the back of several South African players' minds going into the titanic cup semifinal in Auckland tomorrow.

Especially Faf du Plessis. The Dhaka quarter-final in 2011 went New Zealand's way when South Africa, chasing 222, collapsed, losing five for 25 in a 10-over period to lose by 49 runs.

Herald Vault - 2011 quarter-final
Black Caps surge into semis
Andrew Alderson: New Zealand see the light

However an ugly confrontation between several New Zealand players and du Plessis - after AB de Villiers had been run out immediately after du Plessis had arrived at the crease - raised the tension several notches. Kyle Mills, Dan Vettori and du Plessis were all fined over the incident, which involved physical and verbal exchanges. It remains firmly in the South Africans' mind.

Just before the World Cup, du Plessis, one of SA's key batting figures and a fine fielder, made clear his ideal cup scenario.

"In my perfect world I would like to play New Zealand in the semifinal and have that same situation arise again," he said.

"But this time it will be the other way around. We'll be the team that's on top, and we can do the same to them."

Du Plessis is one of seven South African players from the Dhaka match expected to be playing tomorrow - the others being Hashim Amla, captain de Villiers, JP Duminy, speedsters Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

They, too, no doubt possess elephantine memories to match du Plessis. Revenge was not a word used yesterday, but only a mug would doubt it will figure strongly in South Africa's preparation.

"That moment taught me a lot about myself. I learnt a lot about international cricket," du Plessis added.

To see our interactive click here: Who are the greats of one-day cricket?

Miller may have been obliquely referring to it when he said the South African players "will have some chats about a few things. Individually a couple of guys have their plans to certain players".

When asked if he'd watched Martin Guptill's stunning performance against the West Indies, Miller quipped: "No I didn't. What happened?"

The 25-year-old from Pietermaritzburg is averaging an impressive 68 at the cup, is capable of ferocious, clean hitting and opened up with a 92-ball 138 not out to pull South Africa out of a jam in their opening game against Zimbabwe.

South Africa's only selection issue appears to be whether Vernon Philander returns in place of Kyle Abbott as the third seamer.

3 Clashes to whet the appetite

1. Brendon McCullum v Dale Steyn

Blistering attack against fierce aggression. No backward steps here.

2. Dan Vettori v AB de Villiers
Vettori's display against Australia, who were pressing hard, was outstanding. De Villiers, the world's best ODI batsman, is unlikely to sit back.

3.Trent Boult and Tim Southee v Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock
A left-right combination against a left-right combination. Boult is the Cup's top wicket taker, Amla one of the great modern batsmen. The other two aren't half bad either.