Bravo

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa (CMC):

THE WEST Indies and South Africa will have their first close look at each other, when the two teams meet in the first of two Twenty20 Internationals today at the Sahara Oval St. George's. The match will be the curtainraiser for what promises to be seven weeks of intense combat which will also includes three Test matches and five one-day internationals.

Without appointed captains

Both sides will be eager to seize the early initiative which could prove vital over the long tour, and both teams will be without their appointed captains.

For the West Indies, Dwayne Bravo, the livewire all-rounder, continues to fill-in for Chris Gayle, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained two weeks ago during the preceding ODI series in Zimbabwe.

Shaun Pollock, the experienced all-rounder, will lead the South Africans on to the park in the absence of Graeme Smith, who continues to receive treatment for an enlarged spleen.

Gayle and Smith are fighting to be ready for the first Test at the same venue which begins on Boxing Day, December 26.

Bravo noted that he and his players were eager to get on the field and battle hard against the home side.

The last time the two teams met in a Twenty20 International was back in September, when Gayle made a blazing century, but West Indies lost the opening match of the ICC World Twenty Championship.

"We are looking to start the major matches with a win and take it from there," Bravo said. "As we have said before, we had a good series in Zimbabwe, and we want to continue building on that, and advance our game with every day of cricket we play. Sunday will be another opportunity to make a statement."

Younger, emerging talents

Pollock noted that the match will present a chance for some of South Africa's younger and emerging talents to show what they have in them.

"They are keen to combat anything West Indies throw at us," he said.

The Proteas will also be without two other key players, as wicketkeeper Mark Boucher and talismanic all-rounder Jacques Kallis are both being rested and opportunities are being given to Morne van Wyk, Ghulam Bodi and Vernon Philander. The West Indies had a number of positives from Friday's rain-marred 25 overs-a-side opening tour match. The Makhaya Ntini Invitational XI had a narrow five-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis Methord in a match to launch Ntini's benefit year.

In the game, Fidel Edwards showed some fire in taking two wickets for 23 runs from his five overs. His victims were Herschelle Gibbs, who was beaten for pace and had his middle-and-leg stumps extracted, and Pollock, caught at deep mid-off for a top score of 54. Edwards also held a stunning catch inches from the ground at wide long-on.

Darren Sammy was also steady with the ball and brilliant in the outfield, and the batting showed some class with Shivnarine Chanderpaul notching 44 from 27 balls, while Denesh Ramdin - promoted to number three - made an accomplished 20 at a run-a-ball.

A capacity crowd of close to 17,000 is expected for today's match and organisers have indicated that tickets are going quickly.

This is a festive weekend and, with tomorrow being a public holiday, many spectators are using todays match as part of their celebrations.

Squads

SOUTH AFRICA (from): Shaun Pollock (captain), Ghulam Bodi, Johan Botha, Abraham deVilliers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Albie Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne van Wyk.

WEST INDIES (from): Dwayne Bravo (captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Rawl Lewis, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.