South Africa: New planning for Northerns (1g February 1999)

1 February 1999

South Africa: New planning for Northerns

Trevor Chesterfield

Having won one trophy and taking a breather before they tackle the next stage of this summer's programme, Northerns coach Peter Kirsten and the skipper Mark Davis might decide to pull their own rotation plan when they sit down to discuss the long-term prospects.

Davis, still buoyed by winning the Standard Bank League with a game in hand, feels going to Durban with "the strongest team possible" is more than an option but his firm views on the issue. Yet he is also mindful of other factors, especially with the pressure off the side.

"Winning trophies is all about winning matches and it is important I feel we should go to Kingsmead with our two international stars in the side as well," he said yesterday.

Northerns are to collect the League Trophy at Kingsmead after the Natal match, a marketing exercise in futility, although the presentation at SuperSport Centurion on Sunday would have also been a waste of time. Little wonder that Davis saw the irony in the trophy being handed out before a disinterested crowd at KwaZulu/Natal headquarters as it was at Kingsmead in December 1996 when they were presented the trophy for the first time.

"Little wonder I am having a liking for that ground," he said yesterday. But on more serious matters Northerns are likely to rotate a few players from the side which won the trophy in a weekend in which the coach, Kirsten, referred to as "an awesome performance by a committed side".

David Townsend is one who might find his way in to the side, and if Northerns take the plunge and follow the route of Gauteng, Gift Pedi may also be given a run against Natal. Gauteng yesterday announced that Walter Masemola and Grant Elliott had been included in their side for the game against Border on Wednesday.

"Nothing has been discussed as yet but I guess we will when selection time comes around," said Davis last night. "We have a break until Friday when he start our plans for the Kingsmead game. For me, however, the strongest available side has always been a guideline."

No doubt Davis is mindful that winning at Kingsmead would also strengthen his team's case for the quarter-final draw. Just who plays who isn ging to be decided by a complcated draw running in the first couple of weeks in March.

About the only sour note to surface at the weekend was when Gauteng captain, Ken Rutherford, and the rest of the yellow perils declined to join the accoldes awards session where 20-year-old Pierre Joubert was awarded man of the match and Rutherford and the Gauteng brainstrust went for the wrong bowling options. They were in good company, however, as Western Province, declined to accept Easterns offer of a few drinks after that shock result.

Northerns other planning this season also includes the A Section title where they are second on the log and have home matches against Natal and Free State during the last two weekends of February with the final, already scheduled for East London from March 4 to 8. To get that far, however, they need to win the last two games.

As Kirsten pointed out, being second does help.

Source :: Trevor Chesterfield, Pretoria News