South Africa and Australia in search of momentum

DURBAN, (Reuters) – South Africa and Australia reckon  today’s decisive one-day game could have a bearing on next  month’s test series and both are giving their injured players  every chance to prove their fitness for the Durban clash.   
  
The pair are locked on one win apiece in the three-match  series with two tests to come at Cape Town and the Wanderers.   

“Both teams have a fair few players who are involved in the  test team as well as the one-dayers,” Australia captain Michael  Clarke told reporters ahead of the day-night match in Durban. “If you win the one-day series you take confidence into the  next game you play against the same opposition. There’s nothing  better than winning as a team. It’s a great feeling and that’s  the feeling you want around any team you are a part of.”  
 
South African counterpart Hashim Amla has the chance to  clinch a series win in his first series as captain.   

“At the end of the day you want to win the series, you want  to take some momentum into the test matches,” he explained.  
 
“We are not putting a lot of pressure on ourselves. The last  game was basically a final for us, if we had lost that we would  have lost the series. The way the guys played in the last game  was an inspiration and we will try to bring that into the next  game.”    

Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher suffered a painful blow on  his right index finger during a net session on Thursday but a  team spokesman said Boucher had a “bit of discomfort but nothing  untoward” and that the player should be fine for Friday’s match.  
 
Australia have slight worries over all rounder Shane Watson  (back) and batsman Shaun Marsh (shoulder) but Clarke said the  pair had both trained well on Wednesday and could play.