Cape Town Test: McGain could use bare patches to his advantage

Cape Town (South Africa), Mar.19 (ANI): Australian debutant leg spinner Bryce McGain could use the bare patches on the Newlands strip here to his advantage, and deliver some telling blows for his team in their third and final Test match against the South Africans.

Captain Ricky Ponting said yesterday that if McGain is picked, it would be because it is believed he is the best man for the conditions.

"We've got two four-day games before the first Test in England, but we don't want to get too far ahead and start thinking about what might happen then," Ponting said.

"Lots of things can happen between now and then as well, as we've seen with injuries over the last few months for us. It's about us picking the team that we think is going to be best suited and best equipped to winning this Test match here. We'll take those things (Ashes) into consideration but not too much. I don't want to have that thought or feeling around the side," Ponting was quoted, as saying.Ponting said there was an argument for not changing the side.

"I said through the one-day summer as well in Australia that it was no coincidence that when we kept the same team on the park, we actually got some of our best results," Ponting said.

Ponting predicted the wicket would be the best batting deck of the series.

Meanwhile, South African coach Mickey Arthur seemed a little unsure of his side and his relationship with convenor of selectors Mike Procter.

Arthur thought Albie Morkel might come in for his brother Morne, who has been dropped, although Wayne Parnell is also in the squad.

"I've got to discuss that with Proccy first, but I do think that in all likelihood Albie will start," he said.

"It gives us a bit more batting depth but we have to get 20 wickets. We need to get the balance of our bowling attack right. Albie does swing it. (ANI)