National players released for final

Border captain Pieter Strydom and South Africa's latest international and Test all-rounder joins his teammates at the Wanderers on Thursday to prepare for the SuperSport Series final, spread over five days, against Gauteng.

Losing finalist last summer to Western Province, Border, finished second to Gauteng on the log and fly in from East London on Thursday in the hope they can achieve what they failed to do last summer when they lost to Western Province at Buffalo Park.

Joining Strydom on the flight is David Terbrugge who has been selected for the final. With the South African team taking a week-long break from the limited-overs international series which also involves England and Zimbabwe who meet at Newlands on Friday and again in Kimberley on Sunday before the circus moves to Kingsmead in Durban on February 2 where South Africa play Zimbabwe a second time in the slogs.

The week-long break between games also gives the players a chance to recharge and spend a little R and R at home before the team gets together next Tuesday to prepare to the remaining three matches of the triangular tournament. By that stage the selectors should have announced a revamped squad. England trained at Newlands under lights last night while South Africa took the day off. .