Pace will be ace for Proteas: Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes South Africa should consider unleashing an all-out pace assault on New Zealand in tomorrow’s Cricket World Cup semi-final at Eden Park.

The three-time World Cup champion says the Proteas should leave out leg-spinner Imran Tahir, their leading wicket-taker for the tournament with 15 scalps, and back in their seamers to exploit the seam-friendly conditions in Auckland.

“The Kiwis have been extraordinary, but apart from Australia no bowling attack has asked any serious questions of their batsmen,” Ponting wrote in The Australian.

“It seems to swing for most of the game at Eden Park so the bowlers on both sides are going to make it hard for the batsmen and that movement makes it hard to exploit the short boundaries.

“Spinner Imran Tahir got four wickets for South Africa last match, but they might be tempted to load up with seamers for that ground and I reckon that will be a good tactic.”

Vernon Philander has been declared fit for the knockout clash after missing South Africa’s quarter-final win over Sri Lanka last week and appearing in just three of the six group matches due to a hamstring issue.

The right-armer looks set to rejoin Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the XI on Tuesday, while Kyle Abbott has done little wrong with nine wickets at an average of 14.44 from four matches.

The Black Caps have displayed their strength at the top of the order with Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson and Saturday’s double-centurion Martin Guptill, but Ponting suggests the competition co-hosts are vulnerable through the middle order.

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“I wonder a bit about the Kiwi middle order if South Africa go hard at them with four seamers,” Ponting continued.

“I think Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott and those blokes might find the going hard if the squeeze is put on them.”

South Africa enter the clash full of confidence after finally breaking through for their first victory in a World Cup knockout clash.

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Ponting, who played in the famous semi-final tie against South Africa in 1999, suggested the Proteas have gone a long way to shaking the ‘chokers’ tag that has stuck with them for so long.

“The team AB de Villiers has at the moment has shaken off a lot of the failings of previous South African sides,” Ponting said.

“Blokes like AB and Faf (du Plessis) and Hashim (Amla) seem to lift when the pressure is on and have banished that suggestion they will choke at the critical moment.”

Skipper AB de Villiers says his side is in a ‘good space’ and believes the trophy is theirs for the taking if they can play to their potential for two more matches.

"I feel the team is in a really good space at a really good time and we've got a lot of reason to be confident for tomorrow's game," he said.

"I've mentioned before that I believe, if we play to our full potential, nobody is going to stop us in this tournament."