FRIDAY, 1.00PM:
WITH defenders Mark Fish and Pierre Issa both injured, Willem Jackson and Isaac Shai are likely to be in the starting line-up for Saturday’s game against France in Lens.
Free scoring Sundowns midfielder Alex Bapela may take the place of unavailable playmaker Doctor Khumalo.
National coach Clive Barker said on Thursday he is likely to try Jackson in Fish’s place and Shai for the unfit Sizwe Motaung.
This means that they will partner captain Lucas Radebe and veteran sweeper Neil Tovey at the back. With Linda Buthelezi unavailable, Barker may opt for a five-man defence with one defender given the freedom to go forward. If Barker opts for this system, Eric Tinkler will be the busy man in the midfield, John “Shoes” Moshoeu will be playmaker and Hellman Mkhalele given the creative role on the left flank
Phil Masinga will probably spearhead the attack with either Kaizer Chiefs marksman Mark Williams or Ajax Amsterdam goalpoacher Benedict McCarthy partnering him.
Goalkeeper Andre Arendse is almost assured of a place as the last man of defence — if his recent perfomances for his club and the national team are anything to go by.
SPORT BRIEFS
AMANDA ADVANCES SOUTH AFRICA’S Amanda Coetzer advanced to the third round of the $450 000 Filderstadt tennis tournament after beating Russian Anna Kournikova 3-6 6-3 6-4 at Filderstadt near Stuttgart, Germany on Thursday.
WESSELS LEADS ROGER WESSELS took a three-shot lead after the first round of the Vodacom Series Free State golf tournament at the Bloemfontein Golf Club on Thursday. He opened with an eight-under-par 64 to lead by three, ahead of Richard Fulford, James Kingston and Dean van Staden.
YOUTH WORLD CUP DRAW
The draw for the youth cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa early next year was made on Thursday. According to the draw, there will be one pre-determined match — the opening game between South Africa and India. United Cricket Board of SA MD Ali Bacher explained: “Because they took the initiative in our return to world cricket in 1991 and we would like to say thank you.” The game will be played at the Wanderers on January 11. He said all other games will be decided by an open draw.
He said the 16 participating countries will be devided into groups of four. “This means each team will play at least six games,” said Bacher
THE GROUPS:
GAVASKAR POOL: South African, India, Kenya, Scotland.
SOBERS POOL: New Zealand, England, Asia 1 and Namibia.
BRADMAN POOL: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, ICC wildcard, Ireland.
COWDREY POOL: Australia, Zimbabwe, West Indies, Asia 2.
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