Donald commits himself to his country

Champion fast bowler Allan Donald has committed himself to South Africa up to and including the 2003 World Cup, United Cricket Board managing director Ali Bacher said on Friday.

Speaking on Supersport televison during the lunch break of the Singer Cup final, Bacher said that he had been in frequent contact with Donald who asked to be released from international duties during the 2000 South African winter in order to play for Warwickshire.

Donald is currently not under contract to the UCB, but will sign an 18-month contract for South Africa at the end of the current English season.

Bacher said that Donald had indicated he would be happy to travel to Australia next month for the three one-dayers in Melbourne, provided Warwickshire were prepared to release him for the trip.

One of the few survivors of South Africa's return to international cricket in 1991, Donald is just three wickets short of the 300 Test wicket mark, and seems certain to reach the target against this summer's home Test matches against New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

At the beginning of this year, Donald seemed to toy with the idea of returning from international cricket, and this resulted in the selectors not considering him for the three home one-day games against Australia in April.

Since then, however, South Africa has endured the "Hansiegate" scandal, and the sacking of the former captain, together with the emergence of a relatively new and young team under Shaun Pollock has placed a premium on experience in the side. Donald also appears to have rediscovered his hunger for international competition, according to Bacher, and it now seems likely that Donald and South Africa will be happily reunited during the coming domestic summer.

Although Donald turns 34 this year, he has kept himself in splendid physical shape, apart from the occasional tear and strain which are the occupational hazards of all fast bowlers.

He clearly still has much to offer South Africa, in particular to the new breed of fast bowlers like Nantie Hayward, David Terbrugge and Makhaya Ntini who have started to emerge. If he is able to play through to the 2003 World Cup, he will greatly enhance his country's chances of re-establishing itself as one the leading teams in world cricket.