Stewart and Malcolm fit for initial OD match (23 Oct 95)

JOHANNESBURG (Oct 23, 1995 - 13:36 EDT) - England have named given all 16 members of their squad an early chance to impress in their initial one-day matches against a Nicky Oppenheimer XI and Eastern Transvaal on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Alec Stewart and Devon Malcolm will play on Tuesday after recovering from finger and knee injuries respectively and Stewart will keep wicket on Wednesday.

"Devon is more than 90, but less than 100 percent fit," England captain Mike Atherton told journalists after practice on Monday morning.

Stewart has taken a full part in all team practices on tour and practiced his wicket-keeping on Friday and Sunday. He has broken his finger three times in eight months this year.

"Atherton said the squad were taking time to cope with the altitude of Johannesburg which is 6000 feet above sea level, but that the spirit in the camp was the best he could remember since the tour to West Indies in 1990 under Graham Gooch.

Tuesday`s match is unusual in that it will be a declaration one-day game. The Oppenheimer XI is captained by Oxford blue Jonathan Oppenheimer and is a mix and match combination of promising youngsters and semi-retired former internationals.

All rounder Hugh Page who had a season with Essex in the early 80`s lines up alongside former test spinner Alan Kourie and Northern Transvaal captain Roy Pienaar, who scored prolifically for Kent in the late 80`s.

Dale Benkenstein, the Natal batsman who captained the recent South African under-24 tour to Sri Lanka, will be looking to make runs in an early attempt to force his way into contention for a full test cap.

Teams:

Nicky Oppenheimer XI - Jonathan Oppenheimer (captain), Dale Benkenstein, Steve Elworthy, Herschelle Gibbs, Alan Kourie, Hugh Page, Roy Pienaar, James Teeger, Geoffrey Toyana, Henry Williams, Mandy Yachad.

England: Mike Atherton (captain), Alec Stewart, Mark Ramprakash, John Crawley, Robin Smith, Jack Russell, Mike Watkinson, Darren Gough, Mark Ilott, Richard Illingworth, Devon Malcolm.

England team to play Eastern Transvaal on Wednesday: Mike Atherton (captain), Alec Stewart, Graeme Hick, Graham Thorpe, Robin Smith, Mark Ramprakash, Dominic Cork, Darren Gough, Peter Martin, Richard Illingworth, Angus Fraser.