Patient Dippenaar hopes for place in SA one-day side
"Every game is a must-win for South Africa
Marcus Prior
01-May-2001
"Every game is a must-win for South Africa. Obviously if we lose here and go
2-0 down we put added pressure on ourselves, but we're not thinking about
that right now."
South African captain Shaun Pollock may have been stating the obvious,
but despite a relaxed net session on Tuesday morning, there is a steely
determination to level the series when South Africa meet the West Indies in
the second of seven one-day internationals at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
The South African selectors have one injury headache before Wednesday's
game after Neil McKenzie's hamstring trouble forced him off the field during
the last-ball defeat at Sabina Park. He is expected to require a few more
days to recover fully, and even though he batted in the nets his place in
Antigua at least looks likely to go to the patient Boeta Dippenaar.
Dippenaar has spent much of the tour as a spectator, playing only in the
warm-up games and doubling as a stand-in wicket-keeper for Mark Boucher. He
has done little wrong since a good season at home, where he scored his
maiden Test hundred, but was the unlucky man when Herschelle Gibbs returned
from his ban at the beginning of the year.
"I haven't heard anything yet," Dippenaar said when asked about his
possible inclusion for the Antigua game, "but I'm preparing myself. I just
want to be ready when the chance comes. I'm looking forward to it.
"It's been very frustrating not playing as much as I would like. When
there are games to be played you've got something which drives you and
motivates you. At times it's a bit difficult to keep going when it doesn't
look as though you're going to get a game.
"But you never know, tomorrow might be a chance.
"I'm feeling good, and have been hitting the ball well in the nets. But
it's like with bowlers sometimes - you need to spend a bit of time out in
the middle to get some real confidence going. One game can change it all."
Dippenaar's wicket-keeping role is not something for which he considered
himself an obvious candidate.
"It's been different - and very hard work! I've discovered muscles in
my body that I never knew I had. Previously I'd only done about half a game
when I was 15, so it's been a new experience for me."
South Africa (probable): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis,
Jonty Rhodes, Boeta Dippenaar, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock,
Justin Ontong, Roger Telemachus, Allan Donald.