SA eye early spin option against Aus
Switching to spinners in the power play will not be a bad game plan against Australia on a turning wicket, South Africa captain AB de Villiers said ahead of their World Twenty20 Super Eight clash on Sunday.
South Africa are in a must-win situation to keep their hopes for a semifinal berth alive after they lost a hard-fought game to Pakistan by two wickets on Friday.
Left arm spinner Robin Peterson struck with two wickets when De Villiers brought him on in the fourth over of the match against Pakistan.
"It worked really well for us and it's definitely a different approach and we haven't been doing it in the past," De Villiers told reporters ahead of the Colombo match.
"It's a very positive thing for us to bowl spinners in the first six overs and then we have seen the results come through like that.
"It is something to look at specially on this kind of wicket if it's turning a bit. Against the Australians, it's not a bad game plan."
However, De Villiers still hopes his fast bowlers can also deliver with wickets.
"We won't forget our pacemen who are on top of the world. Still I hope they will come back and take wickets against the Australians," he said.
Australia are unbeaten in the tournament and captain George Bailey said they have got a buffer after winning Friday's game against India by nine wickets.
"I know it is a great win, but in terms of just where it has set this up in this tournament it has put South Africa under pressure because they know they need to win their next two. We have that buffer," Bailey told reporters.
"Our best cricket has always been very, very good. The challenge in Twenty20 has been that gap between our best and the worst cricket. That's been the pleasing thing for me as we have been consistent so far."
