RSA: Rindel seeks to lay selection bogey (5 October 1998)

5 October 1998

RSA: Rindel seeks to lay selection bogey

Trevor Chesterfield in Centurion

Mike Rindel, having already shoved one century under Hansie Cronje's nose, gets a second chance to prove the national selectors wrong in their top-order batting choices for the ICC tournament in Bangladesh.

On Friday Rindel and Roy Pienaar tackle a Western Province bowling attack aspiring to improve on the lamentable display against B stream North West at SuperSport Centurion in a second tough opening game in the Standard Bank League series.

"We need to take a hard look at ourselves," is one quote from Duncan Fletcher, the Western Province coach who watched with dismay Province's fumbling, bumbling fielding and bowling performance at the tiny Gert van Rensburg Stadium in Fochville.

"There is a lot of work to be done before we head for Centurion and I guess there could be a couple of changes," he agreed.

Rindel has been singled out as the main batting danger, but Graham Ford, the Natal director of coaching, felt Pienaar was a player of such class that he was not at all surprised that he scored a century against Free State.

"He (Pienaar) is such a class batting act that it didn't surprise me at all when I heard he had scored a century in Bloemfontein," said the man who runs the KwaZulu/Natal Academy.

But Rindel's century on Friday underlined why he should be in the South African side heading for Bangladesh on October 21

At this stage, however, it has become a harsh reality that Free State captain Gerhardus Liebenberg could be preferred to the prolific Titans left-hander. There are whispers in Bloemfontein that Liebenberg is being favoured by Cronje as the replacement for the injured Gary Kirsten.

Much depends on whether Kirsten's small finger fails to heal before the fitness test he will have before the side departs for Bangladesh.

While it was Rindel who collected the man of the match award and not the Free State captain, Liebenberg despite scoring an accomplished 114 not out against Northerns at Springbok Park. Cronje made some polite noises about Rindel's innings, yet there was this feeling the South African captain remained unconvinced.

"Perhaps another century, this one against Province, might show Cronje and the sectors they are wrong," said a former top coach from a coastal province which did not want to be named. "There's nothing like sticking it up their noses, is there." he said.

"They have been pretty stupid in ignoring Rindel and here he is giving them a reminder. Hopefully they'll take note of how correct he bats."

Rindel's eighth limited-overs century was a stylish, if busy performance of 123.

Peter Pollock, convener of the national selection panel has already indicated a disappointment at Kirsten's injury. "Should he fail the fitness tests there are several candidates waiting in the wings, but we'll have to first wait for his (Kirsten's) medical report on how bad the damage is." It is also known that another whose form will be closely watched is that of Adam Bacher, out since mid-June, as Gauteng click into gear when they open their day/night programme with a game against Easterns - not a bowling attack of great depth or penetration - at the Wanderers on Friday.

Source:: Trevor Chesterfield, Pretoria News