Injury Sidelines Fanie DeVilliers (02 Nov 1995)

INJURY FINALLY SIDELINES FANIE

Trevor Chesterfield

It didn`t require too much guess work last night to work out that Fanie de Villiers has been dealt a low blow by a long-term injury which will keep him out of the first test against England. All of which finally confirms several weeks of speculation about the fitness of last summers South African seam and swing bowling hero for the Centurion Park showdown game now only 15 days away. Only last weekend De Villiers` ailment drew comment from national selection panel convener Peter Pollock, who said the selectors were `concerned about his fitness". Although the big-hearted Northern Transvaal bowler has been left out of the provincial side to play Western Province in the Castle Cup match starting at Centurion Park on Saturday, there is an outside chance he may be fit for the Wanderers test - the second of the five-match series. Dr Ali Bacher, the United Cricket Board`s managing director, is expected to make an official announcement about De Villiers` fitness tomorrow after consultation with a Pretoria biokineticist who specialises in neurophysiotherapy. He has already spoken to a London specialist who treated De Villiers in England during South Africa`s tour and the view is that the injury "is deep-seated inflammation of the hamstring tendon caused by wear and tear`` from lengthy spells of bowling.

Aggravated While that is the official view, another is that the injury is still related to a nerve problem that has been aggravated by the hamstring problem. Now 31, De Villiers had major back surgery early in 1983 and it is said to be from this area that the nerve problem has occurred. De Villiers, who sent down the first ball at Centurion Park when the ground opened in the 1986-87 season bowled more than 200 overs in five tests last season, taking 36 wickets, and only in the last two tests did he have support from Allan Donald. The selectors are to announce the side in Durban on Monday for the first test at Centurion Park and on the surface are likely to go into the game with four fast bowlers, with Shaun Pollock likely to edge Steven Jack for the berth vacated by De Villiers. Natal`s decision to exclude Pat Symcox for the game against Transvaal starting tomorrow, could also make up the selectors` minds for the first three tests. Pollock (the selector) noted that the first three matches were important as they would favour fast bowlers. Which means young Pollock could follow in dad`s footsteps by earning a test cap.

Source :: Pretoria News Nov 2, 1995