Smith grateful to Bracewell for bowling bonus

Graeme Smith said he was grateful to John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, for allowing some of his international stars to play in South Africa's opening game of their tour, against Northern Districts at Westpac Park.

Daryl Tuffey, Ian Butler, Scott Styris and Daniel Vettori have been given the all clear to play for ND, a move which wouldn't have happened in the past. Bracewell, however, was happy to allow Bruce Blair, the ND coach, to play his full compliment of international bowlers ahead of Friday's first one-dayer at Eden Park.

"They've got a few internationals playing which has surprised me," said Smith. "I didn't expect that, it gives us an opportunity to have a look at a few of them we don't know. We know Tuffey and Vettori, but a couple of the other guys we're not too sure of."

Butler is one of those guys, and a good display for ND against South Africa would help seal his place. He played only once in the recent one-day series against Pakistan.

For South Africa, the in-form Jacques Kallis will be given a match off to recharge for Friday. Kallis scored six centuries during the recent series against West Indies, including a match-winning 139 in the final one-dayer at Johannesburg. He is also top of the one-day rankings.

"Hopefully he can carry it on," Smith said of Kallis. "It's about keeping him mentally fresh, and that's going to be the challenge on this tour to keep him performing at the same level."

Smith, meanwhile, conceded that his side won't be at their best tomorrow after arriving on Sunday night and still struggling to adapt to the time zones. "I had about an hour's sleep last night, woke up and thought I'd had a great sleep, and then realised I still had six or seven hours to go," he joked. "It's my first tour for a day-night swap over so you do feel a bit in the bush at the moment. My goal for Friday is to have the guys all going and ready, and I think they will be."

Northern Districts (from) Robbie Hart (capt), James Marshall, Daniel Vettori, Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Matthew Hart, Joseph Yovich, Grant Robinson, Bruce Martin, Daryl Tuffey, Graeme Aldridge, Ian Butler, Mark Orchard.

South Africa (from) Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Rudolph, Boeta Dippenaar, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Nicky Boje, Lance Klusener, Albie Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Jacques Kallis, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock.