Klusener out of third Test, Kemp to win first cap

Lance Klusener has withdrawn from the third Castle Lager/MTN Test match against Sri Lanka starting at SuperSport Park on Saturday, opening the way for Justin Kemp to win his first Test cap for South Africa.

Klusener has an "aggravated cartilage" in his right knee and will undergo an arthroscopy in Cape Town on Friday. It is estimated that he will need between four and six weeks to fully recover from the operation which should allow him to go on tour with South Africa in the West Indies in March.

The inclusion of Kemp, who has two ODI caps (and can count a second-ball duck in his only innings) is clearly designed to preserve the balance of the team. A useful fast-medium right-arm seamer, he will bowl behind the frontline quick bowlers and bat around number eight. He averaged 65 in first-class matches last summer.

According to convener Rushdi Magiet, the selectors have had their eye on Kemp for some time as backup for the established allrounders Klusener, Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock, particularly with the 2003 World Cup in mind.

Circumstances may have given Kemp a taste of Test cricket earlier than anticipated, but in a South African team brimful of confidence after a largely triumphant summer he should be able to adjust to the higher level quickly an easily.

Andrew Hall will be twelfth man at SuperSport Park.