By Ken Borland

CENTURION, South Africa, Apr 12 (Reuters) New Zealand will not mirror Australia's tactics of targeting specific South African batsmen in the test series starting in Centurion on Saturday.

Australia's successful campaign to unhinge South African opener and captain Graeme Smith led to the left-hander scoring just 230 runs in five tests as the Aussies won the series at home 2-0 and then whitewashed the Africans 3-0 away.

Kiwi pacemen Shane Bond said New Zealand would steer away from individual confrontations.

''Targeting specific batsmen is not one of the things we've spoken about. It's not part of my own game plan,'' Bond said after net practice today.

''I'm sure there'll be a couple of hostile moments on the field and (South African) Andre Nel is bound to have a couple of words, but I'm generally a spectator most of the time in those sort of things. The South Africans are good fellows and there's no reason why most folks shouldn't get on.'' Bond, New Zealand's leading strike bowler, said he was confident he would be back to full fitness in time for Saturday, having pulled out of the warm-up match against the Rest of South Africa last weekend with a knee injury after bowling 10 overs.

''It wasn't too bad bowling today. There's a bit of achiness, but the proper icing should take care of that.

''There was a bit of rustiness in the nets today, but that's not surprising after three or four days of doing nothing. It should not take too long for me to get into gear for the test,'' Bond said.

Fellow paceman Chris Martin, who took 18 wickets in two tests as New Zealand shared their last series against South Africa, said he was confident of troubling the hosts again.

''That last series against South Africa was my comeback series and it's definitely a good memory, something to build on.

''I've probably had my biggest success against South Africa and with that confidence you generally feel, like batsmen do against some bowlers I suppose, that you've got the wood on certain batsmen,'' Martin said.

Martin has taken 29 wickets in five tests against South Africa.

Reuters PDS BST2136