Donald recall possibility looms

Cape Town - England's Barmy Army may taunt Allan Donald about his World Cup disaster at Edgbaston last year but South Africa's selectors are likely to issue an SOS to the mercurial pace weapon for the second leg of the current limited-overs international series.

For SOS, however, read Save Our Side and Donald's presence would give Hansie Cronje with that extra option missing in the first two games of the slogs. With the attack lacking in punch and drive and Mornantau Hayward far from taking over Donald's role in the side, the selectors have to bury some of their pride and recall the man known as White Lightening. If not South Africa could be in trouble.

The attack looked tired and flat in the game in Bloemfontein on Sunday with Henry Williams as yet untried in the series and likely to be drafted in for second match against England. Whether his input is likely to make any difference is another matter.

Neither the selectors nor Cronje can afford a repeat of a nine-wicket defeat and an opposing side scoring 185 for one without too much trouble. England achieved a first wicket partnership of 165 between Nasser Hussain,. who scored 85 and Nick Knight with 71.

In the words of Cronje, throwing Donald the ball when there is a threatening partnership has always come in handy. Until Hayward learns a little more about what fast bowling is about, he should get in the nets with Donald and get a close view of what makes him a feared fast bowler.

When he announced the side, with Steve Elworthy also missing, the convener of the selection panel, Rushdi Magiet, escaped the normal grilling as it came at the end of an historic afternoon when Cronje's second innings forfeiture and the ensuing result mattered more than a side without Donald for yet another set of slogs.

It had already been leaked that Donald had been left out as the selectors were building and grooming for the World Cup in 2003. Whether Williams, who is going to be 35 is likely to be in contention is another matter.

Donald's last LOI match for South Africa was in Birmingham and the Barmy Army's ditty recalled the incident of when he failed to run. Perhaps a few leading questions from a busy media about the philosophy behind the non-selection of Donald and whether the selectors had thought through on their selection policy might have Magiet expounding thoughts on selection planning.

Frankly, it makes more sense to include Victor Mpitsang as part of the long-term planning to give him a further taste of the international scene than bowlers who are unlikely to be in the running in 2003. As it is Makhaya Ntini may have served out his probation period by then as well and ready for re-inclusion in the fold.

Right now though, the selectors have to start thinking about the side they want to play in the remaining three games after Wednesday's outing against England. There is also a rumour than Williams has been none too keen to bowl against international class batsmen.

He may have done well to be the leading SuperSport Series bowler in terms of wickets, but rewarding him with a place in the national team for the slogs is a matter of taking up space. Rather rope in Mpitsang and concentrate on youth, which is what this particular team selection is all about.

Jonty Rhodes is likely to make his return to the side for the game against England while Neil McKenzie has been released to return home after being drafted in as cover for both Rhodes and Dale Benkenstein at the Wanderers and Bloemfontein.

As one of the players of the future, McKenzie is another who could be given a chance as Magiet and Co battle to find a batsman to fill the gap left by Daryll Cullinan, and that is not going to be as simple pulling a white rabbit out of the hat. His call up as cover suggests he is not too far of in the selectors thinking.