McKenzie call up over Benkenstein fitness

Potchefstroom - With the Jonty Rhodes hamstring problem still causing a few twinges of concern in the South African camp and Dale Benkenstein out of sorts with a stomach bug, Northerns captain Neil McKenzie might yet his big chance to earn a South Africa limited overs cap this season.

McKenzie was drafted in as cover on the eve of the opening match of the triangular international limited-overs series, joining the camp Thursday night in time for the team meeting in preparation for the outing against Zimbabwe at the Wanderers.

Whether McKenzie will get as lucky as did Pieter Strydom and eventually take his place in the side is another matter as Hansie Cronje viewed his options carefully. The side faces matches at the Wanderers on Friday and in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

Much depends on Benkenstein's fitness, but as Graham Ford, the national coach pointed out yesterday, South Africa could not take any further chances as they were already a batsman light.

"McKenzie is very much part of the squad for the present and should Dale (Benkenstein) not be fit McKenzie will play (at the Wanderers)," said Ford, commenting on the decision to bring in the young man Gauteng did not want and has since seen his career blossom at Northerns.

Which also means that long-term McKenzie is being looked on as the eventual replacement for Daryll Cullinan, although this is only likely to emerge later in the season when the side for India is announced at the end of the current round of slogs.

Doubt over Rhodes' fitness surfaced again on Wednesday with the hamstring problem still the same as that which has kept him out of the side since Newlands when Strydom was added to the squad the same way McKenzie has been pulled in. It also means that Rhodes will not be considered for any match until the physio, Craig Smith, is satisfied he is 100 percent ready, even if it is as late as the final.

At least it gives Strydom, in for Rhodes, along with McKenzie and David Terbrugge, a chance to make their limited-overs international debuts tonight against Zimbabwe at the Wanderers.

While Cronje, though is unlikely to utter the words "I declare" too loudly he has voiced an opinion that it would be nice to get what he called "a jump start" in the first two games of the series with today's match against Zimbabwe and Sunday's outing against England.

"It is always important to win both games in the first weekend," he said with the same non-committal expression he had when he explained his historic second innings forfeiture in Centurion on Tuesday.

"We have two games ahead of us and need a good look at the opposition as well as our own game plan," Cronje added thoughtfully.

With each side playing six games to get to the final over the next 21 days fitness is going to be a key issue.

Zimbabwe have a problem area or two as well with Neil Johnson suffering from foot blisters, most likely of the right foot the way he bowled against Northerns on Wednesday night. His place is likely to be taken by Crag Wishart, which could weaken their side. Johnson was missing from the side in the slogs against Sri Lanka last month because of a groin injury.

The Zimbabwe coach, Dave Houghton, admitted Zimbabwe had not had a good past four months and with a tough programme during the remainder of the year the Standard Bank triangular series could be seen as a watershed for the side.

"We have had a few injuries to key players which have also not helped our cause," Houghton said. "Heath Streak out, Paul Strang out, Adam Huckle out it has left our attack shy, especially as we do not have great depth.

"But we're going to be a far tougher sided to beat now than we were before Christmas," he added in a show of confidence. "We have Streak back and his presence makes a big difference to our attack."

Yet the way they played against a highly competitive Northerns at SuperSport Park on Wednesday where they lost by eight runs it needs a serious all-round improvement in form to present either South Africa or England with a challenge is going to need a major turn around in form.

Teams

South Africa (possibly from): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Hansie Cronje, Pieter Strydom, Neil McKenzie, Dale Benkenstein, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, David Terbrugge, Mornantau Hayward. Zimbabwe (from): Grant Flower, Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (capt), Stuart Carlisle, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak, John Rennie, Andy Whittall, Henry Olonga, Craig Wishart.

Umpires: Cyril Mitchley and Barry Lambson. TV: Danny Becker.

Hours of play: 2.30-6.00pm; 6.45pm-10-15pm TV: SABC and SuperSport 2