New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming will have an extra incentive to outsmart South African counterpart Graeme Smith when the two countries meet in a one-day international series this month.
Fleming had the upper hand over Smith when the Kiwis gained a crushing 5-1 series win in New Zealand last year but it was Smith who gained the captaincy of the World XI for this week's Super Test in Sydney, Australia.
New Zealand arrive in Johannesburg on Tuesday and will have more than a week to prepare for the international matches in a tour which includes South Africa's first 20-overs international and five 50-overs games. Key members of the South African team, including Smith, wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and all-rounders Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis, will only get back from Australia in time for the 20-overs clash on October 21, two days after the end of the Super Test.
New coach Mickey Arthur is also in Australia getting a look at the Australians ahead of South Africa's tour there, starting in December.
Arthur will be back in South Africa on October 18 when the bulk of the South African team will assemble for the 20-overs match. But the World XI players will only arrive on the morning of the match.
The New Zealand tour was originally due to include three Test matches as well as the one-day games but due to scheduling difficulties, partly caused by the timing of the Super Series, the Tests will now be played in April and May next year.
New Zealand are ranked third in the International Cricket Council one-day ratings, two places ahead of South Africa but the South Africans have improved since the teams last met. South Africa beat England at home and the West Indies away in their two most recent series.
NEW ZEALAND SQUAD: Stephen Fleming (captain), Daniel Vettori (vice-captain), Andre Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, James Franklin, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent. Coach, John Bracewell
ITINERARY:
OCTOBER:
14: South Africa A, Benoni (day/night).
16: South Africa A, Potchefstroom (day).
21: Twenty overs international, Johannesburg (day/night).
23: First one-day international, Bloemfontein (day).
28: Second one-day international, Cape Town (day/night).
30: Third one-day international, Port Elizabeth (day).
NOVEMBER:
4: Fourth one-day international, Durban (day/night).
6: Fifth one-day international, Centurion (day).
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