Schoolboy Rudolph selected for Titans

Centurion: In a move which had long been anticipated Northerns coach Peter Kirsten has conferred yet another distinction on schoolboy Jacques Rudolphs already impressive honours list, selection for the Titans side for this weekends game against Eastern Province.

The 18-year-old and South Africa under19 vice-captain as well as Northerns B all-rounder sits a matric exam this morning before heading for the airport at noon, earns his place in the Northerns side for the SuperSport Series game in Port Elizabeth after Neil McKenzie was included in the South Africa A against Sri Lanka A this weekend.

A matric pupil at Afrikaanse Hoerseunskool Rudolph is already in his third provincial season and has been a regular member of the South African schools side in recent years which includes last years Youth World Cup side.

One of the contracted players on the Northerns books this summer, Rudolph has had as string of half-centuries against North West, Easterns and Gauteng UCBC Bowl sides, the latest of which was an impressive 57 at Centurion last Thursday in the Pool B game.

Tall, stylish and one who hits the ball hard, Rudolph gets a chance to play along side his long-time friend Johan Myburgh and this could cause an interesting problem for Northerns skipper Mark Davis and the coach Kirsten.

Either batsman is being considered for the crucial No 3 batting spot. ``We will have a long, hard think about it before making a final decision,'' Kirsten said yesterday after announcing the side.

Rudolph gave a big grin when he learned of his selection and admitted to being ``more than happy it has come at this time of my career'' but felt he had an equally tough job today when he sits one of his matric exams.

At present his first-class career consists of seven matches for Northerns B in the old UCB Bowl twin tier format with a highest score of 105 last season against Griqualand West B in Centurion; his batting average is 28.50.

A highly talented local product Rudolph leaves late in the month to spend a couple of weeks with Shane Warnes mentor Terry Jenner in Adelaide and lean a little more about the niceties of the toughest of all bowling skills, leg-spin.

Rudolph and Myburgh, from Afrikaans backgrounds, are seen as the first wave of a new group of talented youngsters who have emerged in recent years. Rudolph was first spotted in 1991 when he scored his first century for a Pretoria News Development XI against Pridwin, of Johannesburg at St Albans College.

Whether he bats at three or six, Rudolphs credentials cannot be faulted. His father, Johan, a former schoolteacher and now a schools development officer at Northerns Cricket Union, also played for Northerns Nuffield side in 1980.

The team: Quentin Still, Rudolf Steyn, Johan Myburgh, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gerald Dros, Jacques Rudolph, Steve Elworthy, Mark Davis (capt), Mpho Pedi, Greg Smith, David Townsend, Rudi Bryson.