New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming trains in the nets during a practice session in St. George's yesterday, ahead of their World Cup cricket Super Eight match against South Africa. - Reuters

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (Reuters):

New Zealand, one tantalising win away from ensuring a World Cup semi-final berth, face a different set of challenges today after losing their unbeaten record to Sri Lanka.

The Kiwis have only 24 hours to recover from Thurs-day's six-wicket loss to the 1996 champions before regrouping for their Super Eights match against South Africa at the Grenada National Stadium.

If they lose again they would then need to beatthe all-conquering Australians on April 20 or hope that the eight points they have gathered so far will be enough.

South Africa, with six points, have lost to Australia and Bangladesh but they are also the only side to defeat Sri Lanka.

"They are more orthodox in terms of their bowling attack," said New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming after his team stumbled to an inadequate 219 for seven against Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and the support attack.

"They're a pace attack predominantly and on this wicket that should give us more options. But they're incredibly competent at what they do.

"They try and place pressure on you with their fielding and by bowling their lines. They provide a different challenge but it's a much more orthodox attack than what you face when you play Sri Lanka."

ENGLAND PRIORITY

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said his team's priority remained their final second-round game against England in Barbados next Tuesday.

"I don't think this is really the crunch game for us," he told a news conference yesterday. "No matter if we win tomorrow we still have to beat England.

"They (New Zealand) are a good team, they are a well-balanced team. They have got a lot of options in their set-up. Yesterday they were put under pressure for the first time, they could easily bounce back tomorrow."

New Zealand played Mark Gillespie in place of off-spinner Jeetan Patel on Thursday for the first time in the tournament after his recovery from a viral infection to his right shoulder.

In common with the other New Zealand pacemen he suffered at the hands of the Sri Lankan batsmen, conceding 42 from 6.1 overs after Sanath Jayasuriya hit him for a six and four from his first two balls.

Patel may return today against a team who failed to come to terms with the three Bangladesh left-arm spinners in their upset second-round defeat.

"I think we have kind of got rid of the Bangladesh game now," Smith said. "We realise how badly we played there. Maybe that bad game really woke us up in a lot ofways.

"If they play two spinners I think the track if anything does get a little bit slower but it doesn't seem to turn that much. That will be a risk for them, it will create a few other weaknesses."