India's batting concentrates South African minds

India's batting, especially the incendiary strokeplay of opener Virender Sehwag, has dominated the minds of South Africa's management during the past few days. As Sehwag flayed England's bowlers to all corners on Sunday night, they worried about how to prevent a repeat performance in the first semi-final today.

With the pitch expected to be another sub-continental featherbed, the South African bowlers know that victory will most probably depend on how they bowl to India's star-studded batting line-up. If, like England, they buckle under the pressure of an early onslaught then the match will be quickly lost.

South African skipper Shaun Pollock said: "From what I saw he (Sehwag) played superbly and looked at the top of his game.

"We are going to have to bowl well against all the Indian batters, they have a great line-up. The key will be getting some early wickets and getting into their batting."

According to Pollock they have done their homework: "We have analysed them and have a game plan that we want to implement. We will have different options for different situations. Up front you have got to believe that you can get them out, but if they get in you have got to bowl differently."

Unfortunately for South Africa, they are struggling with injuries.

"There are a few injury concerns which are not ideal but the physio is on top of it. We think that Allan (Donald) and Jonty (Rhodes) will be fine. Nicky (Boje) and Alan Dawson will have fitness tests later today," Pollock said.

Boje is expected to be ruled out later today because of the hairline fracture he sustained in the West Indies game. Dawson only has an outside chance of playing, having not bowled a ball since straining his calf against Kenya.

Donald, however, looks set to play despite being troubled by an old ankle injury that has flared up during the tour. The injury has dogged him in recent years, requiring six monthly cortisone injections, but Donald believes that he will be able to bowl if the ankle is heavily strapped.

"It goes through phases, sometimes there is pain and sometimes there isn't," said Donald "Yesterday I had it strapped up and there was no problem at all."

South Africa have called up two replacements as cover, 37-year-old fast bowler Steve Elworthy and uncapped spinner Robin Peterson. Both arrived on Monday morning and started training immediately. After participating in the recent Australia A series they are match fit and both could play.

Elworthy is a safer option with the new ball than Makhaya Ntini and has the advantage of swinging the ball, an important asset here in Sri Lanka, especially under lights during the humid evenings. All-rounder Justin Ontong and Peterson are competing for Boje's place.

Despite the threat of India's batting and injuries, Pollock remained upbeat about his side's chances: "India have played well and it should be a great game. This is the business end of the tournament and this is where we have to produce the goods.

"I think we have the personnel," he added. "We are pretty confident. We played nicely against Kenya and had a bit of a squeaker against West Indies, which was nice as it prepared us for a closely-fought game."

South Africa:

Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Dale Benkenstein, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher (wk), Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock (capt), Nicky Boje, Alan Dawson, Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini, Steve Elworthy, Robin Peterson.

India:

Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly (capt), Dinesh Mongia, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Kaif, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Jai Prakash Yadav, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra.