The protracted injury crisis in the Western Province (WP) Boland camp has forced the selectors to name an unchanged side to play the Dolphins in the Standard Bank Cup day/night limited-overs cricket match at Durban’s Kingsmead on Wednesday.
Paceman Alan Dawson and batsman Herschelle Gibbs are still on the injury list and the selectors have decided that the team who defeated Neil McKenzie’s Lions in Johannesburg by 45 runs will be the best bet to rescue the side from the also-rans Standard Bank Cup scrapheap.
WP Boland will be taking heart from the fact that the core of their team will be returning from a morale-boosted South Africa A side, who defeated the touring England side in Potchefstroom by seven wickets on Monday.
Almost all the WP Boland batsmen came good at one or the other stage of the match, and opening bowler Charl Willoughby wrecked havoc in England’s second innings with a haul of four sticks in 14 overs.
At the top of the batting order, Henry Davids regained form against the Lions just more than a week ago with a gutsy knock of 84 runs that earned him the man-of-the-match award.
Middle-order batsman Neil Johnson, the former Zimbabwean World Cup star, was in swashbuckling form for the Oppenheimer XI against England last week and coach Peter Kirsten will be looking to him for a repeat of the batting onslaught that produced 74 runs off a mere 58 balls.
Given the collective recent performances of individuals in the WP Boland side while playing for the South Africa A and Oppenheimer XI teams, there is hope that the side can reach the play-offs by winning at least three of their remaining four matches in the competition. WP Boland are at present rock-bottom on the standings.
Opening batsman Derrin Bassage has been named as 12th man for WP Boland, who will return from Durban on Thursday morning just hours before they play the Lions in a return fixture at Newlands later in the day.
Thursday’s match will be the Lions’ final Standard Bank Cup match for the season. Irrespective of the result, the Gauteng side are already out of the running for a play-off berth. — Sapa
WP Boland side: Andrew Puttick, Henry Davids, Neil Johnson, Ashwell Prince (captain), JP Duminy, Con de Lange, Renier Munnik, William Hantam, Mark de Stadler, Quinton Friend and Charl Willoughby. 12th man: Derrin Bassage. Coach: Peter Kirsten.