It may have been wishful thinking on behalf of those running the
show at Willowmoore Park in Benoni but Greg Smith was hard at
work in the nets at Centurion yesterday despite rumours the
Northerns left-arm fast bowler was "carrying an injury". Faster,
leaner and more aggressive than he has been in the last five
years, Smith is waging a battle to earn a place in either the
South African test side or the A team this season and possibly a
place in the team to tour India later in the summer. And despite
suggestions to the contrary Smith's form in the first three
SuperSport Series matches is going to be closely monitored by
Rushdie Majiet and the rest of the national selectors.
The season opens tomorrow with Northerns facing neighbours
Easterns in Benoni. What with Allan Donald's fitness in doubt
until later next month, uncertainty about David Terbrugge's
ankle standing up to the hard work demanded of a bowler of
his type, the fast bowling ranks are slightly depleted in
terms of class at this early stage of the season. With the
opening Test of a long summer barely a month away and selection
being made somewhere around October 22 or 23, Smith, with his
left-arm variety could be an important factor when Majiet and
Co decide on who they want in the side for the two Tests
against Zimbabwe. This of course will come after the six
selectors have consulted the national captain, Hansie Cronje
and new coach Graham Ford. Steve Elworthy is another Northerns
fast bowler likely to attract the attention of the selectors
as a Test candidate as Ford indicated the tall seam and swing
bowler had impressed all by his work rate at the nets during
the LG Cup tournament in Nairobi.
For Easterns their biggest worry is whether Phil Simons, their
West Indies signing is going to be able to play in the opening
A Section match of the season at Willowmoore Park. While Ray
Jennings, the Easterns coach was looking for a heavy roller
to squeeze as much juice as possible out of a green looking
pitch, Simons was in London organising his flight to South
Africa. He arrives today but the decision on whether he will
play is still tied up in red tape and government departments.
The Easterns squad has a Northerns "old boys" look about it
with as many as five former Northerns players in their ranks.
Not surprising, or is it, but Ivan Pistorius is not in the
provisional line up announced yesterday.
Easterns: Deon Jordaan, Phil Hearle, Hoosain Mannack,
Shakeel Ahmed, Anthony Pollock, Pierre de Bruyn, Anthony
Botha, Dennis Smith, Andre Nel, Albie Morkel, Aldo van den Berg.