Perhaps the only difference between Durban in the summer and Durban in the winter is that in the winter, half of Johannesburg is not here. South Africas only subtropical city stays warm all year, the rolling hills are carpeted in the same shade of green all year and when cricket comes to town, clouds gather as though they have been summoned to a secret meeting, no matter what time of year, even August.Youd think the Cumulonimbus may have been fooled - never in Kingsmeads 93-year history has there been so much as a first-class match played on its surface in August - but it was not. Light rain fell through Tuesday evening, and when Wednesday dawned, it was to a mild stickiness in the air, the kind that could mean there will be swing.Theres good cloud cover and plenty of humidity in the air, Tim Southee noted, with some excitement after New Zealands morning training session. And theres a lot more grass there than what there was in Bulawayo. There is a nice, even coverage of grass and the nets have plenty of bounce in them.Southees observation could mean that Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer, whose team lost to New Zealand earlier this month, could be on to something when he predicted the side whose attack made better use of conditions will end up victorious. The crucial thing is the two seam attacks. Whoever bowls the best will win because the batting is strength for strength, Cremer said in Bulawayo a week ago.The prospect promises so much. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada versus Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. And all of that against some of the most accomplished batsmen in the game. Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor contending with swing, seam and bounce.But all of that may have to happen at a different time in a different place. My expectation would be that the Test strip is pretty devoid of moisture, even if they have perhaps flooded it a bit in the lead-up. If that is the case, there shouldnt be a huge amount of assistance; you could have to graft quite patiently for wickets, Shaun Pollock, who played his domestic cricket in Durban told Sport 24. New Zealand may not mind that too much because they have just come from a place where they have had to do exactly that. At Queens Sports Club, there was very little for the bowlers and still, New Zealand managed to take 20 wickets twice. Wagner, in particular, was impressive in his persistent short-ball approach. On unresponsive pitches, the seamers did an outstanding job, especially Neil, Southee said. Its never easy, he is in and out of the side and he ended up as the leading wicket-taker. Its great to see him getting the rewards.South Africa may also not mind, but not because their pace pack is recently practiced in the art of patience. Rather, because of this: What you do tend to find at Kingsmead is that at the start and then the end of seasons, there is some help for spinners, when there is not too much live grass, Pollock said.Enter Dane Piedt. The only specialist spinner in the squad, who took a five-for against England at this venue last summer, is looking forward to the chance to establish himself as both container and wicket-taker in conditions that could prove challenging for the rest of the attack. I was in the national academy a few years ago and we played a couple of winter games and the wickets were quite slow throughout the country, so I have had experience in winter in South Africa. The pace will be key that I bowl, higher paces rather than slow, thats going to be the key in order to control the game and have that ability to strike, Piedt said.If that doesnt work, Piedt is willing to play the waiting game too. I will also just look to stop the game and frustrate the Kiwi batsmen. Hopefully, that will bring out some loose shots and that will be how I get wickets. But I have a feeling it will spin a little bit, especially early on. I just need to get myself into the Test match and stay there, he said.Piedt will not be the only South African thinking that. The side faced the reality that they have slipped to No.7 on the rankings, after starting the year in top spot. They are at one of their lowest points and are taking on a team who are on the rise in conditions that are unfamiliar to everyone. Even though Southee does not think South Africa are on the way down because they are still a quality side, South Africa may be quite pleased half of Johannesburg is not in Durban to see how they go about laying the first bricks in their rebuilding phase. Cheap Jordan 5 Retro . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Cheap Air Jordan 5 . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. http://www.cheapairjordan5.com/ . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Jordan Retro 5 For Sale Cheap . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. Wholesale Jordan Retro 5 . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. ROME -- Novak Djokovic cant seem to find any consistency on clay courts. And with the French Open less than 10 days away, he will enter Roland Garros on the back of two early defeats. The top-ranked Serb wasted a chance to serve out the match and was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 by sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych in the Italian Open quarterfinals Friday. In the semifinals, Berdych will face six-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal, who defeated fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. While he struggled at times, Nadal appeared sharper than in his three-set win over Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis a day earlier. In the other half of the draw, Roger Federer overcame an early break in the second set to edge rising Polish player Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 7-6 (2) in a night match at the Foro Italico. Attempting to win this tournament for the first time, Federers next opponent will be Benoit Paire. The 36th-ranked Frenchman routed Marcel Granollers of Spain 6-1, 6-0 to reach his first Masters series semifinal. In the womens tournament, top-ranked Serena Williams rolled past Spanish opponent Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-0 to extend her winning run to a career-best 22 matches. Williams will next face Romanian qualifier Simona Halep, who rallied past two-time Rome champion Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-0, 7-5. Meanwhile, two-time defending champion Maria Sharapova withdrew before her quarterfinal against seventh-seeded Sara Errani due to illness. Errani, the first Italian semifinalist in this tournament since Raffaella Reggi won the 1985 event in Taranto, will face third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who held off ninth-seeded Sam Stosur 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. Its the second consecutive week that Djokovic has struggled, having also lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the second round of the Madrid Open after being bothered by a right ankle injury. Djokovic said he had been playing pain free this week. Still, he will need to get his game in shape in a hurry with the French Open, the years second Grand Slam, starting May 26. "I know I can play well on clay and so I shouldnt allow myself to have these drops, and lets hope it wont happen for Roland Garros," Djokovic said of the only major he hasnt won. "Im fine. I just lost my rhythm." Djokovic served for the match at 5-3 in the second set, but Berdych ripped a backhand winner that landed on the line on his first break point and won the final four games of the set. "Its a very strange situation," Djokovic said. "I played very well and was two points from winning. Then the entire match changed and I was a different player." Its the first time Berdych has reacheed the semifinals in eight appearances in Rome, having been eliminated four times in the quarters.dddddddddddd The tall Czech took control of the match with his big first serve, and by coming forward to angle shots into the corners to set up easy volleys. Djokovic had trouble returning Berdychs first serve and also complained about the courts surface early on. In the third set, Berdych went ahead with an early break and then shook off some nerves to close the match out on his fourth match point with a big serve out wide that Djokovic could barely get his racket on. As overcast skies gave way to sunshine, the court dried out, favouring Berdychs power game. "I lost the concentration," Djokovic said. "I started playing more defensively. ... He started playing more confidently, stepping into the court and taking advantage of his opportunities." It was only Berdychs second win in 15 career meetings with Djokovic, with his only previous victory coming in the 2010 Wimbledon semifinals. It was also only Berdychs fourth win versus a top-ranked player in 20 attempts, with all three previous wins coming against Federer. "He has been for quite a few years just behind the top four," Djokovic said. "Hes able to play big matches. He has proven that. So (he) is definitely a very dangerous player on any surface with a serve like that." Djokovic was 148-4 when winning the first set since 2011, according to the ATP. Williams had twice won 21 in a row before, although both of those runs came a decade ago, in 2002 and 2003. "Ive been pretty consistent, and pretty healthy -- knock on wood," Williams said. "I feel great -- never felt better." Martina Navratilova established the longest womens win run in the Open Era at 74 matches in 1984. Williams only title here came in 2002, when she beat Justine Henin in the final. That was also the year she won her only French Open title. Last year in Paris, Williams lost in the opening round of a major for the first time, falling to 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano of France. Sharapova said he was struggling with an illness she first contracted last week, when she was runner-up to Williams in Madrid, although she showed no problems Thursday as she beat 16th-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-1. "I was already a bit off in Madrid and played though it and it came back last night and I got sick again and its not smart to compete again," said Sharapova, adding that she had a fever after beating Stephens. 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