DURBAN, July 7: South Africa will rely on a steady diet of one-day cricket to prepare for their back-to-back Test series against Australia next season. South Africa’s tour schedule released by Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday features five One-day Internationals and a 20-over match at home against New Zealand in October and November.

The team will then travel to India for a series of five One-day Internationals.

South Africa’s tour to Australia starts on Dec 11 and will feature three Tests as well as a triangular one-day series also involving Sri Lanka.

Graeme Smith’s side will then come home in February to face Australia in three Tests, five one-dayers and a 20-over match.

New Zealand will return in April to play three Tests in a season that is scheduled to stretch into the wintry days of May.

Gerald Majola, CSA’s chief executive, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) Super Series between Australia and a World XI in Australia in October had complicated South Africa’s schedule.

“We had no option but to play these matches (against India) in November because of the ICC Super Series blocking other periods,” Majola was quoted as saying in a CSA media release.

South Africans Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs, Makhaya Ntini, Smith and Shaun Pollock have been included in the World XI squads.

“We have also finally reached agreement with New Zealand after many months of negotiation regarding their tour to South Africa this year,” Majola said.

“Again, there were clashes with the ICC Super Series matches when several of our top players will be on duty against Australia.

“We wanted to avoid playing New Zealand without them.

“We have finally decided to split the tour into two visits. This will allow us to field our best team, as well as to tour India in November at a critical time in our preparations to play Australia.”—Reuters