After South Africa reached 353 from just 40 overs against the Netherlands, Ricky Ponting forecast that any total smaller at tiny Warner Park is certain to be run down. Ponting was talking about the key Group A match versus South Africa on March 24, but first Australia has to play a demoralised Dutch team on Sunday and attempt to match South Africa’s benchmark.“I think 350 is very much a par score out there, it’s just so small a ground,” the Australia captain said. “The straight boundaries are really small. I mis-hit a few the other day and they landed in the top of the grandstand. If we bat first then we are going to have to make a really good score to be competitive.”Herschelle Gibbs became the first player in 130 years of international cricket to hit six sixes in one over and make a mockery of Warner Park’s dimensions, an achievement Ponting almost expected here.“It doesn’t actually surprise me that much,” he said. “It’s a fairly rare type of feat to happen in a game of cricket, but having played out there the other day, the boundaries are very, very small.”The last time South Africa and Australia played a one-day international, the Proteas chased down Australia’s world-record 434 to win by one wicket in Johannesburg last year and edge the series 3-2. Australia has since had trouble defending large totals — losing five straight matches to concede their top-ranking in ICC limited-overs standings to South Africa — but Ponting says every team now faces that risk. Ponting said that Australia were likely to retain the same team that beat Scotland on Wednesday, meaning Andrew Symonds has not yet proved his fitness from his biceps injury.
