South Africa and a peaking Pakistan brace themselves for a high-voltage final

South Africa and a peaking Pakistan brace themselves for a high-voltage final
ASHISH SHUKLA

MARCH 30: South Africa and a peaking Pakistan brace themselves for a high-voltage final showdown where fitness to their key men could make all the difference in the Coca Cola Cup One-day cricket tri-series here on Friday.

South Africa, dealt their only defeat in nine outings at the desert venue in the final inconsequential league clash on Tuesday when Pakistan beat their rivals after a gap of 14 matches extending to December 1994, hold a slender edge going by their consistency at the Sharjah Stadium thus far.

The Proteas, who comprehensively beat India twice and also outplayed Pakistan in the first league tie, will be strengthened by the return of five regulars, including skipper Hansie Cronje, who sat out in the unexpected 67-run defeat that has added more suspense to the summit clash.

But both teams will be pinning hopes on their most vital players -- South African opener Gary Kirsten and Pakistan tearaway Shoaib Akhtar -- regaining full fitness for the war of attrition.

The ever-consistent Kirsten was forced to retire due to severe back spasms that undermined South Africa's chase of a modest total against Pakistan, while Akhtar, who prised out three wickets in one incredible over, limped off after aggravating a left groin injury.

While Kirsten's opening partnerships with Herschelle Gibbs has lent South Africa the cutting edge, Akhtar has led the versatile Pakistan pace attack which has helped them stage a smart rally from nowhere in the series.

The failure of India to do well in Sharjah has once again taken the sheen out of the final for the expatriate fans always awaiting the mouth-watering prospect of an Indo-Pak clash.

But South Africa, who beat India 2-0 in the Test series and then went down by a 2-3 margin in the One-dayers, are gearing up to round off their current tour in style.

Both Pakistan and the Proteas are considered top class One-day sides that were among the favourites for the World Cup title last year before stumbling out and will have their points to prove.

Pakistan, reeling from a series of defeats in Australia and at home, aim to clinch victory ahead of their demanding tour of the West Indies. Their batting, shorn of experience with left-handed opener Saeed Anwar among those who could not make it here, has been propped up by teenager Imran Nazir and Younis Khan.

But it is their fast bowling quartet, the wily Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdur Razzaq with Akhtar, straining at the leash to become the fastest bowler ever in the history of the game, who have shone in Pakisan's recovery with their sharp fielding coming as a revelation.

South Africa have complemented their steady top order batting with the run-denying length adopted by pacemen Shaun Pollock, Mornantau Hayward, rookie Makhaya Ntini and Steve Elworthy.

Added to it has been their brilliant fielding and the job done by Gibbs patrolling the backward point area, has given rise to comparisons with his peerless teammate Jonty Rhodes.