HANSIE Cronje has made himself available to play for South Africa for a full term thus wiping out any doubts that have existed after the last selection media conference. Announcing the team in Durban for the first Test against England starting at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Thursday, National selection committee convener Rushdi Magiet said the 30-year-old, who scored two consecutive Test half-centuries against Zimbabwe recently, will remain at the helm of the side until the end of the season in April — when all player contracts are renegotiated. Cronje was put on probation at the start of this season, his captaincy guaranteed only for the two-match home-away series against Zimbabwe and the first two games of the five-Test series against England.
The squad:
Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (capt.), Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Allan Donald, Paul Adams, David Terbrugge. 12th man: Boeta Dippenaar.