Strydom surprised over selection

Centurion - For Pieter Strydom the millennium started with a surprise call up from the South African selectors a week ago, which culminated yesterday in his selection in place of Jonty Rhodes for the final Test of the series against England at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

"It comes as a nice surprise, though," he said yesterday shortly after being told of his selection after Rhodes felt that his hamstring had not recovered enough to allow him to play in the game.

Yet playing for South Africa had been far from Strydom's thoughts in recent weeks, although he realised that the India tour was coming and wondered if he mind be considered for a trip to the Asian sub-continent.

"I knew they were going to take an extra spinner and knew that if I did do well I might get a chance," he said.

Hansie Cronje, the South African captain, also seemed to think that Strydom might be in the running for the India tour if he performed well in the Centurion Test.

His selection for the South African A side in the four-day and limited-overs games against Sri Lanka A earlier in the season also showed that he was being considered.

"It is nice to know that you are being looked at, but it has come quicker than I thought," he admitted.

The Border captain, who has scored two centuries and six half centuries this season and has an average of 71.22 also bowls tidy left-arm spin and although he has fielded at point, he has not been in that position for some time.

One of his mentors Peter Kirsten, the Northerns coach, who picked Strydom out as the man to take over from him in that position called Strydom last night with a congratulatory call.

The two have had a strong relationship since Strydom joined Border in 1992/93 and he was Kirsten's understudy for several seasons.