Rhodes set to return as Hussain celebrates victory

Bloemfontein - Chances are Jonty Rhodes, on returning to Newlands on Wednesday where his hamstring trouble started about three weeks ago, will turn out for South Africa in their crunch triangular series outing against England. Craig Smith was cautiously confident yesterday afternoon that the man with as much bounce as a Mexican jumping bean would be ready to take his place in a side which seemed to lack confidence, conviction and purpose.

You can place a good spread bet on Hansie Cronje not only doing his bit to gee up the side, as will Rhodes should he play, but also look at ways to mend the slow puncture which saw the South African innings deflate to a lowly 184 on a slow surface which always troubled the batsmen. What was worrying was there was no urgency about South Africa's performance: no fire down below to stoke up the embers. It was as though the adrenalin had been pumped out of the system and the patient placed on a drip in the recovery ward.

If Cronje, with the assistance of the invaluable services of Graham Ford, managed to turn around the results in Nairobi last October, there is no reason, after a long, studied in-depth look at their options why South Africa cannot comeback from the third heaviest defeat in their international limited-overs career here and do the same.

South Africa's limited-overs international past is littered with so few heavy reversals. The previous two involved the West Indies: Port of Spain in Trinidad saw a 10 wickets defeat in April 1992 and Bloemfontein in the Total Series 10 months later when it was by nine wickets.

Little wonder then Cronje did not want to meet the media and spill out what was on his mind. He had said some of it on TV; did he really want to go through it a second time?

Hussain had displayed some fine touches a captain. He had learnt much from Cronje and added a little of his own flair and looked calm and confident, giving his bowlers all the encouragement they needed in the right conditions. It was a pitch which favoured England's batting, a mood which assisted the cause of their bowlers, especially Darren Gough. The Yorkshireman is not going to find much better all-round conditions. His four for 29, which included three wide balls in his bowling, was well supported.

Little wonder Hussain was in more than a cheerful, chirpy mood. He savored the moment and must have wondered about South Africa's batting, if not battle plan for Newlands and beyond. The national selectors are supposed to meet again at Newlands and what shape the side takes is going to be interesting. Hussain had a contingency plan for whatever South Africa tried yesterday; risking bowling Graeme Hick down wind and pushing the South Africans into mistakes.

'Bowlers such as Gough, (Andrew) Caddick, (Craig) White and Mark Ealham found it ideal and the batsmen we wanted to bowl slower balls to worked well. They were well supported.'

'There was plenty of buzz and energy and good fielding. We have to make sure we maintain that feeling, even when it is not going so well. It was there the other night, but it was much stronger here.'

'South Africa we know are dangerous. It is easier to control them when they are say 100 for seven and more difficult were they are 200 for one and Lance Klusener is a 100 not out.'

'We have to take the positives out of this game and keep them going and maintain the same edge in this tournament as (this time) last year we started well but became tired in the end and started fading away.'

'We have to ensure that we play well throughout this tournament,' Hussain added. 'We have to take this form to Cape Town and play as well'. There was a pat on the back for Gough and Hick's support. But Hussain agreed he was not fooled as it had been 'a good day at the office' but the South African side was one of quality and nothing could 'be taken either as read or for granted'.

Hussain though now feels he has found his position in the one day side as an opening batsman. Yesterday he scored 85 off 113 balls as in an innings of 185 for one in reply to South Africa's 185 with Nick Knight making a fluent, if not quite as stylish 71. They put on a record 165 for the first wicket against South Africa.