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| Wayne Parnell © Gallo Images |
It is possibly exaggerated to say that Wayne Parnell carried the Proteas bowling attack on his shoulders at this year's Twenty20 World Cup.
It is true however that the Proteas have been pinning their bowling hopes onto Parnell's shoulders.
Parnell bowled in the nets on Wednesday and looks ready to step out onto Newlands to tackle the bowling contest which waits in the third MTN one-day international against England.
The Proteas' bowling attack have suffered a bloody nose after their skirmishes with the English batsmen in the Twenty 20 and one day matches so far - and team management hopes that Parnell can provide some much needed penetration.
He also has the ability to bowl yorkers at the end of an innings with regular effect, something that the team has been lacking in this summer.
His return means that Albie Morkel will probably lose his place in the starting line-up and that Mark Boucher will then bat at number 6.
JP Duminy said on Wednesday that the batsmen realise that more responsibility now rests upon their shoulders.
"I think that there is definitely more pressure, especially because I have now been promoted to number 4 in the batting order," said Duminy.
"But on the other hand, there is always pressure at international level and it is how you handle it that matters.
"The problem with our batting in Sunday's loss was that a few of us got going, but then never went on to score a big total.
"Myself included," said Duminy.
The Proteas will have to change their tactics in the powerplays.
For the last year or so, the batting powerplay played a big role in the Proteas gameplan with Morkel being held back to bat in the powerplay.
The Proteas will now lose a player with the ability to smash boundaries at will with his exclusion.
They will also weigh up the option whether to take the batting powerplay earlier, when players such as AB de Villiers and Duminy are in their stride.
Of course there will also be pressure on the batsmen, with Herschelle Gibbs who has also been brought into the squad.
The English bowling attack is strengthened with the return of seamer, Stuart Broad, who will play his first international match on the tour.
There are however question marks surrounding England's best attacking weapon, swing bowler, James Anderson. Anderson is struggling with a knee injury and received an injection in his right knee this week.
Broad injured his shoulder in one of the warm-up matches in Bloemfontein and missed the two Twenty20 and first two one-day internationals.
Duminy confirmed on Wednesday that they will set their sights on Broad, because he has not bowled in a while and his self-confidence might be at a low.
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