Bloemfontein: Apart from a minor scare about Adam Bacher cracking a
bone in his right hand and Shaun Pollock passing a fitness test it was
another ordinary eve of Test practice session for South Africa at
Springbok Park on Thursday. After orthopaedic advice Bacher is to bat
with the damaged finger in a splint as the first of two matches
against Zimbabwe starts on Friday at the world's 80th Test venue while
Pollock, according to coach Graham Ford and confirmed by the captain,
Hansie Cronje, is over the hamstring scare.
Bacher hurt the small finger of his right hand during the morning
fielding session and after an xray disclosed a hairline fracture, it
was not considered serious enough to seek a replacement at this late
stage of the team's preparation. What has happened, however, is that
the recalled Bacher is to wear a specially designed finger splint
protection during the Tests. Which means he is unlikely to field in
the slips during the match where much interest is being focused on
Allan Donald and how his ankle stands up to the pressure of bowling in
a game which is seen as crucial to South Africa's success this summer.
Donald, now 33, met Thursday night with Dr Ali Bacher, managing director
of the United Cricket Board, to discuss the fast bowler's long-term
future in the game which will also no doubt cover such items as
Donald's county contract prospects with Warwickshire as well as his
commitment to South Africa's cause.
No doubt Dr Bacher will make an announcement sometime Friday or
Saturday on his talks with Donald, but there is a worry that despite
his ankle holding up in the SuperSport Series game against Western
Province, White Lightening views any Test appearance as a high
priority on his list of events in which and not which to play. He took
seven wickets in the match against Province and bowled well within
himself.
South Africa should have a decided edge on a Zimbabwe side minus Heath
Streak and the two leg-spinners Paul Strang (injured) and the retired
Adam Huckle (retired) while Neil Johnson has an injury which keeps him
out of the attack. It could explain the pop-gun variety of the bowling
and may lead Zimbabwe to packing the side with batting.
While not always the clever thing to do, it does mean Zimbabwe are
always going to be on the backfoot and that in turn suggests ``defence
mode'' through the five days, whether or not the game, without help
from the elements, managed to last that long.
South Africa go in to only the second Test between the two countries
with a new pair of opening batsmen in Bacher and Boeta Dippenaar and
the coach, Ford, has been concentrating some of his energies on this
new partnership. At best it is a temporary refurbishment as Herschelle
Gibbs and Gary Kirsten are likely to be back at some stage this
season.
Gibbs most likely will be ready for the Harare Test three weeks away
while Kirsten's broken finger may even cost him his place in the
opening match of the series against England a month away. Even so
South Africa's top-order, which includes Jacques Kallis and Daryll
Cullinan, should make the most of the batting conditions as well as
the cannon-fodder style attack offered by the Zimbabweans. At least
the game will offer Cronje a chance to experiment with his bowling
permutations ahead of the Harare game and the series against England.
South Africa:
Adam Bacher, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie
Cronje (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark
Boucher, Allan Donald, Paul Adams.
Twelfth man: Nicky Boje.
Zimbabwe (from):
Alistair Campbell (capt), Grant Flower, Andy Flower,
Murray Goodwin, Neil Johnson, Gavin Rennie, Guy Whittall Andrew
Whittall Henry Olonga, Bryan Strang, Mpumelo Mbangwa, Trevor Gripper,
David Mutendera.
Umpires: Steve Dunne (NZ) and David Orchard (RSA)
TV umpire: Cyril Mitchley
Match Referee: Jackie Hendriks (West Indies)
Hours of play: 10.30-12.30; 1.10pm-3.10pm; 3.30-5.30pm