Pressure mounts for Windies and South Africa

Tournament hosts West Indies have lost all three of their Super Eights matches so far while South Africa's defeat by Bangladesh, coming after a loss to Australia, has thrown doubt over their chances of progressing to the last four.

''We do find ourselves under pressure but so do the West Indies,'' said South Africa coach Mickey Arthur.

''They've been a slight danger team for us in competitions like this. They will be under just as much pressure as we will be, if not more, because in your home country you are expected to go all the way. So the pressure is probably more on the West Indies than it is on us.'' West Indies captain Brian Lara believes that the game may well come down to who can get an early advantage and pile the pressure on their opponents.

''The most important thing is to put the (South African) team under pressure. Our aim is going to be to get our heads in front at the beginning of the game and that can create a lot of pressure for the other side,'' added Lara.

South Africa could be without injured batsman Herschelle Gibbs who strained his left calf muscle while fielding in the 67-run defeat by Bangladesh on Saturday.

Gibbs did not bat during a training session in St George's, Grenada, yesterday and coach Mickey Arthur said the team would delay a decision on his involvement until the last minute.

Lara has a full-strength squad to choose from and while it is unlikely that he will drop any of his frontline batsmen he has choices to make with regard to his bowling attack.

Left-armer Ian Bradshaw and medium-pacer Corey Collymore have been rotated with paceman Jerome Taylor being preferred as the partner to in-form opening bowler Daren Powell.

Reuters SSC RS1103

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