OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Tuesday 7.30pm.
SOUTH Africa’s cricketers, fresh from a humiliating nine-wicket defeat on Sunday, will again meet Nasser Hussain’s England in a Triangular Series one-dayer at Newlands on Wednesday.
The locals have Jonty Rhodes back in the side, and his presence is likely to give the South Africans’ morale a sorely needed boost.
The return of Rhodes will probably mean that current number six, Pieter Strydon, will be promoted to bat at four, a position where Dale Benkenstein has sadly not shown much promise.
There has been speculation that Allan Donald will be recalled to the team after Wednesday’s match, but this seems unlikely.
Indeed, Donald’s absence from the first three matches indicates that Rushdie Magiet and his selectors have made up their minds concerning the country’s leading wicket-taker.
A scenario that is far more likely is that Henry Williams will take the place of spinner Nicky Boje.
Strydom and Cronje will most likely do duty as “fifth bowlers”, although with the glut of seamers available, they will most likely bowl only a small percentage of overs.
Whatever the case may be, the South Africans will have to start getting along without the fiery Donald, and the current one-day series at home — before the series’ against Australia at home and away in April and August — seems to be the ideal time to find a suitable replacement.
Daryll Cullinan’s absence also leaves a huge gap, but there are many who would say that Cullinan’s record in Australia makes this an ideal time to get over the loss of the masterful strokemaker.
England took Tuesday off after their stunning win, and apart from substituting Mark Alleyne for Alan Mullally their sqaud remains intact.
Squads:
South Africa (from):
Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Pieter Strydom, Hansie Cronje (capt.), Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, David Terbrugge, Mornantau Hayward, Henry Williams.
England (from):
Nick Knight, Nasser Hussain, Graeme Hick, Chris Adams, Vikram Solanki, Craig White, Mark Ealham, Chris Read, Andy Caddick, Darren Gough, Graeme Swann, Mark Alleyne.