New South African selectors puzzle (20 July 1999)

20 July 1999

New South African selectors puzzle

Trevor Chesterfield

Johannesburg (South Africa) - It could be an interesting first meeting when South Africa's new national selection panel sits down sometime within the next month to shape not only policy for the series against England next summer but also tackle which `fringe' players are to make the trip to Kenya in September.

Eight names have been nominated for the six positions on the new selection panel which has been expanded from five, will be decided at Saturday's UCB annual meeting at the Wanderers. What is surprising is that Kepler Wessels, thought to be a candidate for the position of convener, is not on the list of eight released by the UCB offices yesterday.

Which means the position as convener, vacated by Peter Pollock, who had made it known a year ago that he would step down after the World Cup, could be filled by Clive Rice or the long-serving Rushdie Majiet of Cape Town. There are arguments, however, that Rice position as director of coaching affairs with the English county Nottinghamshire and which keeps him out of South Africa for five to six months could count heavily against him. Rice has, however, made it known that he is available as a national selector. One of the problems with the post of convener is that it has become a full time job, adding to Rice's problems unless he terminates his Nottinghamshire contract.

Majiet is the last of the original first post unity selection panel which met under Peter van der Merwe's chairmanship when Mike Procter, who is one of the nominated six, then holding the post of coach.

Former selector S K Reddy has been nominated along with incumbent Morris Garda. Seeking nomination for the first time are David van der Knaap, a former Transvaal off-spinner who has been part of the provincial selection panel for a number of years.

Gerald Majola and Solomon Pango make up the six names and in keeping with the transformation policy ensuring that a 'black' be included on the selection panel both Eastern Cape men face an interesting baptism at a higher level, although both could find their way on to the panel. Majola is the brother of Khaya Majola, the UCB's director of amateur affairs, and has been involved in Eastern Province selection for some time while Pango is from Border where he has been a selector for several seasons.

Both are said to have a 'sound knowledge of the game at provincial level'. Whatever the shape the panel takes, however, their first job is to sit down with the new captain, expected to be Hansie Cronje, and formulate a sound selection policy.

Much has been made of the comments of Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the UCB, who said the quadrangular tournament in Kenya is a way of giving 'fringe players in the system' a chance to gain experience at international level.

Which fringe players are likely to earn a trip to Kenya is another matter. Apart from Victor Mpitsang and possibly the South African under/19 captain, Thamie Tsolekile and Albert Nkomo, a fast bowler with the same side in Pakistan at the start of the year along with Finlay Brooker, the Griqualand West all-rounder as well as Boland top-order batsman Justin Ontong.

It is also a way to get injury prone Roger Telemachus swing bowler back into the selectors thinking, especially after he ditched Boland for Western Province and have a close look at Lulama Mazikazama, the eastern Province wicketkeeper. All of which could give the 'fringe' players a form of exposure.

But as the idea of playing in such tournaments is also winning them, the number of 'fringe players' could be restricted to a couple of new faces. The Nairobi tournament starts on September 24 with India, Zimbabwe and Kenya as South Africa's opposition.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield