Patient Dippenaar hopes for place in SA one-day side

"Every game is a must-win for South Africa. Obviously if we lose here and go 2-0 down we put added pressure on ourselves, but we're not thinking about that right now."

South African captain Shaun Pollock may have been stating the obvious, but despite a relaxed net session on Tuesday morning, there is a steely determination to level the series when South Africa meet the West Indies in the second of seven one-day internationals at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

The South African selectors have one injury headache before Wednesday's game after Neil McKenzie's hamstring trouble forced him off the field during the last-ball defeat at Sabina Park. He is expected to require a few more days to recover fully, and even though he batted in the nets his place in Antigua at least looks likely to go to the patient Boeta Dippenaar.

Dippenaar has spent much of the tour as a spectator, playing only in the warm-up games and doubling as a stand-in wicket-keeper for Mark Boucher. He has done little wrong since a good season at home, where he scored his maiden Test hundred, but was the unlucky man when Herschelle Gibbs returned from his ban at the beginning of the year.

"I haven't heard anything yet," Dippenaar said when asked about his possible inclusion for the Antigua game, "but I'm preparing myself. I just want to be ready when the chance comes. I'm looking forward to it.

"It's been very frustrating not playing as much as I would like. When there are games to be played you've got something which drives you and motivates you. At times it's a bit difficult to keep going when it doesn't look as though you're going to get a game.

"But you never know, tomorrow might be a chance.

"I'm feeling good, and have been hitting the ball well in the nets. But it's like with bowlers sometimes - you need to spend a bit of time out in the middle to get some real confidence going. One game can change it all."

Dippenaar's wicket-keeping role is not something for which he considered himself an obvious candidate.

"It's been different - and very hard work! I've discovered muscles in my body that I never knew I had. Previously I'd only done about half a game when I was 15, so it's been a new experience for me."

South Africa (probable): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Boeta Dippenaar, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Justin Ontong, Roger Telemachus, Allan Donald.