Strydom comes into Test squad as cover

Cape Town - Pieter Strydom, the man Peter Kirsten selected from a list of promising candidates to take over as Border's captain, is the cover man the national selectors have plucked out of the hat for the fifth Test of the Millennium Series against England.

Tactically shrewd as a captain, a hard-hitting middle-order batsman and someone who can be useful as an off-spinner in times of need, Strydom has almost been hauled out of obscurity in preference to Dale Benkenstein for the game at Centurion and which starts today week. According to Rushdi Magiet the selectors have decided on a utility player who can fill all our needs and it also suggests Strydom might find his way into the South African side for the limited-overs international triangular series which also involves England and Zimbabwe.

At the age of 30, when most would have laughed off any prospect of a career of any sort outside the domestic scene, Strydom's batting talents have been found serviceable enough to cover for the hamstring twinges felt by Jonty Rhodes and Daryll Cullinan when batting in the fourth Test at Newlands.

While Cullinan's twinge is not as serious as that of Rhodes there is enough concern in the South African camp to ask for cover. Strydom, it seems, covers such options. Both are to have fitness trials next Thursday while Allan Donald already has cover in Mornantau Hayward. As it is Strydom's form had been noted enough to earn selection to the South African A side which played Sri Lanka A in Centurion and Pietermaritzburg.

Educated and coached at Grey High in Port Elizabeth, Strydom once flirted with the idea of joining Northerns several summers ago before opting to play for Border, the sort of career move which has seen his talent recognised.

The selectors seem to have made up their minds that Strydom is in better form than Benkenstein who may also be considered for the triangular series which starts at the Wanderers on January 21 with South Africa playing Zimbabwe.

It is likely that the squad will be announced during the Test, or immediately after it is completed, bearing in mind there is also the tour of India and later the Sharjah tournament before the three limited-overs games against Australia in April. By that stage the squads for the seniors tour of Sri Lanka and the A team for the West Indies should be finalised.

Nasser Hussain's tourists had a light net session at Newlands yesterday before heading for Port Elizabeth today where they face the South African Invitation XI at St George's Park with the England captain suggesting that form would be the final arbiter on who would be selected for the fifth Test.

Disappointed to have lost the series 2-0 with one game to play, Hussain felt the back to back Tests had taken toll of his bowlers, especially Andy Caddick, regarded by South Africa's captain, Hansie Cronje as England's top bowler in the series.

Yet he also felt that while Australia had more flair South Africa was the sort of side which grinds you down in a very professional way. Any side which has someone such as Mark Boucher coming in at nine has to be a hard one to beat, he said. They have this habit of coming at you all the time. They are very patient and it showed the way they have played in this series, he admitted.