Cronje, Donald in Free State side for Titans day/night slog

Centurion: It did not take Free State too long to switch to their first choice captain, Hansie Cronje, when they realised their domestic day/night series campaign was in need of new leadership when they meet Northerns in Centurion tonight.

In fact they have brought out all the big guns, as it were, with their four Test stars, including Allan Donald, who has asked the national selectors to be allowed to play in the Standard Banking out at SuperSport Park.

And while Northerns manager/coach Peter Kirsten admits to being ``quite honoured at the respect they have paid us'' by putting all their big names in the side to revive their fortunes, Northerns are unlikely to deviate too much from their limited-overs game plan success.

Last year the plan was to nullify Cronje and see off Donald: they did both and won the opening game in what Kirsten still recalls as a ``very special performance'' and ``an amazing result and the best start to a season'' Northerns could have wanted.

But Kirsten knows all too well how fickle the shorter game can be. In October last year it was the talents of Roy Pienaar and man of the match Mike Rindel who established a record partnership of 240 which laid the foundation of not only that victory by saw Mark Davis lift the League Trophy back in January after beating Griqualand West.

Time has moved on, Davis has been replaced by Neil McKenzie as captain and the bowling attack has been restructured with some success against Border where Northerns won a week ago. Quite an achievement considering the Titans' poor record at Buffalo Park in East London for much of the 1990s.

With Rudi Bryson picking up a four wicket haul and Pienaar, despite his age, displaying all the purity and technical skill of master class batting, as well as support from a determined bunch, the Titans worked the miracle needed to win.

What could be of interest is Donald?s approach to tame the threat of Rindel and Pienaar and Victor Mpitsang?s bowling along with Herman Bakkes.

Free State lost quite badly to Border and with the captaincy changes this summer, first with Gerhardus Liebenberg and then Nicky Boje in control, they too have had a few problems which has shown up in their Super Eights record.

They are a far better side than that, however, and Northerns know they are going to be in a contest. Or, as Nasser Hussain put it on Monday afternoon, ``facing a highly competitive side often brings the best out of us''.

Perhaps the ``us'' in this respect are the Titans where sticking to the game plan, getting the basics right and clear thinking is a plus in trying to collect victory No 2 in the day/night series.

There are three other slog events around the country: Natal meet Griquas in Durban, Western Province face Gauteng at Newlands and North West host Boland.

The teams: Northerns (from): Mike Rindel, Roy Pienaar, Neil McKenzie (capt), Rudolf Steyn, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gerald Dros, Dirkie de Vos, Mpho Pedi, Steve Elworthy, Pierre Joubert, Rudi Bryson and Johan Myburgh.

Free State: Hansie Cronje (capt), Gerhardus Liebenberg, Morne van Wyk, Boeta Dippenaar, Kosie Venter, Gerhard Brophy, Herman Bakkes, Allan Donald, Matthew Hoggard, Victor Mpitsang. Twelfth man: Tjaart van der Wath.

Hours of play: 4.00-6.55pm; 7.25-10.30pm.