Kwazulu-Natal News Round-up (5 November 1998)

5 November 1998

Kwazulu-Natal News Round-up

Ken Borland

Pat Symcox and the Griqualand West team come to Kingsmead today eager to lower the colours of Natal cricket and they will give Dale Benkenstein's side a testing start to the SuperSport Series campaign.

A pitch offering some assistance to the pacemen and good carry and even bounce for the batsmen should greet the players this morning. But with groundsman Phil Russell having to roll the pitch earlier than he would have liked because of the Natal B game at Kingsmead, there are already some cracks on the surface for this weekend's game and some turn can be expected on days three and four.

Griquas have an all-round attack to make optimum use of the traditionally good cricket wickets Russell produces.

Symcox has been touted as the front-runner for the spinner's position in the first Test against the West Indies and those who can pick up e.tv would have noted his fine form in Bangladesh. Having left Natal cricket under something of a cloud, the ultra-competitive all-rounder would no doubt be quite happy to see his former employees take a beating.

West Indian international Ottis Gibson leads the Griquas pace attack, backed up by Deon Kruis and Garth Roe, two promising seamers who moved from bigger provinces to try and get ahead in their cricketing careers. Gibson should be the fastest bowler on view and he will have fond memories of Kingsmead, having taken 13 wickets in Border's 1994/95 match there.

Opening batsman Martyn Gidley is also something of a bowler, and the Natal batsmen would have noted he enjoyed success against Free State last weekend with his off-breaks.

The Griquas batsmen made merry last weekend in Kimberley, racking up totals of 393 for five and 203 for three declared, but the going is unlikely to be that easy in Durban. Although they have a strong top-order of Gidley, Mickey Arthur, Pieter Barnard and Kepler Wessels, the quality and depth of their batting below that is uncertain.

Natal, with their host of national players, must be favourites and they will go into the match feeling they owe their supporters something after their frustrating performance last time out against North-West in the Standard Bank League.

Errol Stewart, who missed the last two games due to a fractured wrist, is 100 % fit and he will want to continue the immaculate form he showed at the start of the season.

Stewart will slot in at number three and along with fellow internationals Andrew Hudson, Jonty Rhodes, Benkenstein and Lance Klusener, gives Natal an excellent batting line-up.

The only question marks against the Natal side lie with their bowling and Klusener's fitness is the key factor.

He will be torn between Natal's insistence that if he plays then he must be able to perform his full bowling duties and the desire to hold back as he gradually returns to his peak for the Test series against the West Indies. Natal are bound to play a spinner and Zingari's Craig Tatton should get the nod, with pacemen Gary Gilder and Shaun Adam rounding out the attack. But that leaves the home side with a four-man attack and, without the seam back-up of Benkenstein, who has an injured foot, and Neil Johnson, the bowling is the one area of potential weakness.

Coach Frans Cronje said yesterday he was happy with all his players' form and fitness, but warned that to expect his team to overwhelm Griquas would be asking too much. "They're not a bad side and we'll have to play with discipline if we are to win."

Natal: Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Errol Stewart, Andrew Hudson, Jonty Rhodes, Dale Benkenstein, Lance Klusener, Keith Forde, Gary Gilder, Craig Tatton, Shaun Adam, Robbie MacQueen, Jannie Dreyer, Keith Storey.

Griquas: Mickey Arthur, Martyn Gidley, Pieter Barnard, Kepler Wessels, Willie Dry, Loots Bosman, Pat Symcox, Wendell Bossenger, Ottis Gibson, Deon Kruis, Garth Roe, Adri Swanepoel.

Play starts at 9.30 am.

Source :: Ken Borland