Donald's future in the balance

Centurion - Contrary to popular opinion life will still go on in the South African side without the famous spearhead Allan Donald winding up the crowds at Test venues.

However Donald hinted late on Wednesday that South Africans may have to soon start preparing for a future without him, although whether the Millennium Series against England is likely to be his last home Test series is another matter.

As South Africa go into the fifth Test with a 2-0 lead - the possibility of wrapping it up 3-0 at SuperSport Park is a better spread bet offer than who is likely to win the Cape to Rio yacht race - Donald's long-term future is to be discussed on Sunday during the fifth Test. Which starts tomorrow.

The 33-year-old rangy fast bowler, now 10 wickets shy of collecting his 300th at Test level confirmed he would be meeting with Rushdi Magiet and the other national selectors, Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board and Graham Ford, the national coach.

He said a decision on what direction his future would take could be made when "hopefully we are batting". Donald's future with Warwickshire, the English county, and his commitment to South Africa are to be chewed over during the discussions. Either way he his likely to cut back on tours and limited-overs matches.

"They (Warwickshire) obviously want to know of my plan," he said, "and I know more or less what I want to do, so I'll have to see what they (Dr Bacher, Magiet and Ford) have to say."

He was not prepared to elaborate on his own plans.

Donald admitted it "would be very nice" to get his 300th Test wicket in South Africa and Centurion is the venue where he took his 200th against Sri Lanka in late March 1998. What is at stake though is whether he takes a break from the routine of tours to India and Sri Lanka this year or goes on just one visit to the Asian sub-continent. The Sri Lanka trip will cut into his county programme.

There are also the two one-day series involving South Africa and Australia in April and August "Warwickshire have been pretty patient and so has Bob (Woolmer)," the county's coach.

South Africa's programme next season includes tour by New Zealand and Sri Lanka followed by the tour of the West Indies.

"There is a lot to think about should I get the 300 here and what is likely to happens after that," he commented. "And then also what happens if I don't get the . . . 300 wickets."

Donald has 290 Test wickets to his credit as he prepares for the fifth match of the series against England and the chance of achieving a result last managed 95 years ago.

On the Jonty Rhodes front, the middle-order batsman, suffering from a hamstring strain, is to have another fitness test Thursday morning after he had come through a trial where he was tested at 75% of his capacity the previous day.

"His next test will be at 100% of his capacity," said the team's manager Goolam Raja. There is still some doubt, however, whether the length of time between the Newlands Test which finished eight days ago and this one in Centurion is long enough to recover from the strain. The national selectors have brought in Pieter Strydom as cover.

South Africa (from): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Allan Donald, Paul Adams, Mornantau Hayward, Pieter Strydom, England (possibly from): Michael Atherton, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (capt), Michael Vaughan, Alec Stewart, Chris Adams, Darren Maddy, Andrew Caddick, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally, Gavin Hamilton Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (SA) and Darryl Hair (Aus); TV: Cyril Mitchley.