The format of the 2009 Champions Trophy – a lean version compared to its flabby predecessors – leaves little margin for error: teams can afford one slip-up at the most during the group stage and South Africa have used theirs up in the opening game against Sri Lanka. They will not be knocked out if they lose again but will become dependent on other results going their way before net run-rate comes into the equation. It’s not a predicament any team wants to be in, not least one that was ranked No. 1 in the world earlier in the week.

Teams

South Africa (likely): 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Mark Boucher (wk), 7 Albie Morkel, 8 Johan Botha, 9 Roelof van der Merwe, 10 Wayne Parnell, 11 Dale Steyn.

New Zealand (likely): 1 Brendon McCullum (wk), 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Martin Guptill, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Grant Elliott, 6 Jacob Oram, 7 Neil Broom, 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Shane Bond, 11 Daryl Tuffey/Kyle Mills/Jeetan Patel.

Timings

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Start time 9:30 am, 7:30 GMT