South Africa’s http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jean-Paul-Duminy-c66758 and New Zealand’s Scott Styris: two incredible all-rounders
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 is all set to take on New Zealand today in the critical third quarter-final of the ICC World Cup 2011 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. South Africa looks far superior, as they have won five out of their six group matches, ranking
them among the favourites of the tournament. The Black Caps have a fierce competitive spirit and will definitely not go down without a fight.
The Shere Bangla wicket is not an easy track to bat on and a lot depends on both teams’ batting line-up. South Africa’s Jean-Paul Duminy and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754’s Scott Styris are two classy players that have the ability to put in a match winning performance and
make a strong impact in the quarter-final game.
Duminy is a talented and controlled batsman with the skill of hitting the ball hard. The left-hander showed a little glimpse of his talent during the Proteas’ group match against the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753, where he entertained the crowd with his brutal hitting. With
the capability to notch the ball around, Duminy has excellent footwork and a strong technique. Duminy’s off-breaks are also very handy for team, as he has the ability to restrict runs and frustrate the batsmen.
"He should bring stability to the middle order and contribute with the ball," said Kepler Wessels about Duminy.
The 26-year-old Duminy, has played 77 One Day Internationals for his country, in which he scored 2191 runs at an average of 42. He has two centuries and 13 fifties to his credit as well. Duminy's record against the Kiwis has not been exceptional, as he holds
an average of just 20.25. Although a rash shot finished his stunning innings of 99 runs in the first round match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751, Duminy has managed to score over 200 runs at an average of 44.20, so far in the tournament.
On the other side, the Black Caps have veteran Scott Styris in their late middle-order, who was the fourth highest run scorer in the ICC World Cup 2007 after Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Mahela Jayawardene. A marvellous batsman with a fighting instinct,
Styris' slow-mediums can also be handy on the slow Subcontinent pitches. The right-hander has the ability of playing cautious or attacking cricket, as the situation demands. His calm temperament is exactly what New Zealand will need during their fierce quarter-final
battle.
Styris is facing a few fitness issues and the Black Caps will definitely need him fit and performing at his best in this crucial match. Just like Duminy, Styris is also extremely sound with his batting technique, as he has the ability to take on any bowler
and hit boundaries with ease.
Former New Zealand bowler Danny Morrison stated about Styris, "He's lost a bit of weight and got fitter, and credit to him for that. In recent times, he's needed to make the opposition hurt a bit more and score more runs - as simple as that."
Styris has scored 4410 runs in his 186 ODIs, at an average of 32.42. Against the Proteas, he has played 24 games, in which he scored 591 runs at an average of a little under 37. With the help of his sharp bowling variations, he has picked up 15 wickets against
the South Africans.
Duminy’s attacking batting is a priceless asset for his side, as Styris’ experience is unmatched in the World Cup. These two tremendously talented players will definitely make an impact for their respective sides. Both teams will battle it out, with the
winner advancing into the semi-finals and the loser going home.
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