Proteas fine-tuning side in Dutch one-dayer

AB DE Villiers will have one eye on SA’s bowling reserves and the other on the weather in his team’s match against the Netherlands in Amsterdam today.

Along with a warm-up game against Pakistan at the Oval on Monday, today’s one-day international is the last opportunity for fine-tuning that SA will have before the start of the Champions Trophy in England and Wales next week.

SA will have to hit the ground running considering they play India in the opening match of the tournament in Cardiff on Thursday.

But De Villiers refused to be rushed and said SA were unlikely to put their first-choice team on the field today.

“It’s still a long way from our first game and we still have a warm-up game against Pakistan in which we will probably play our strongest XI,” De Villiers said yesterday.

“A lot of guys have just come back from the Indian Premier League and they’re still quite fatigued. Some of the fast bowlers might get rested, guys like Dale (Steyn) and Morne (Morkel).

“Other than that, we’ll try to let the guys have a full 10 overs, guys like Rory (Kleinveldt), Ryan (McLaren) and Robin (Peterson).

“I’d also like to have a look at Farhaan, Faf and JP. We’re going to need them to bowl a few overs in the tournament.”

Better weather than Amsterdam has seen this week will be needed for that plan to come together.

On Wednesday night, 42mm of rain fell on the Amstelveen ground, where the match will be played. Sterling work by the ground staff ensured that SA’s training session went ahead on schedule at 10am yesterday. A 30% chance of showers was forecast for last night but only 10% for today — although the predicted high temperature of 18C° will add to the challenge.

Six of the Dutch XI that SA beat by 231 runs in their 2011 World Cup match at Mohali, in India, are in the home side’s squad of 14, including captain Peter Borren.

Among the new faces is Pretoriaborn Stephan Myburgh, the younger brother of Johann Myburgh, who is based in New Zealand.

“I actually grew up with him; I’ve known him since we were nine years old,” De Villiers said in an interview with Dutch radio. “I am very happy for him that he got his chance to play international cricket because I know that was always a dream of his.”

SA have played three one-day internationals against the Netherlands, all of them in World Cup competition and all of them one-sided.