Selectors name Natal squads

The Natal selectors have named a squad of 13 for tomorrow's Standard Bank Cup day/night match against Griqualand West at Kingsmead, with international stars Shaun Pollock, Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener included.

Off-spinning all-rounder Kevin Pietersen and left-arm paceman Gary Gilder have been retained in the squad but are not likely to play, while Jon Kent, after solid recent performances with bat and ball, is very unlucky not to be chosen.

But Natal are able to field their full array of riches in their first home day/night match of the season and are likely to unleash an attack of Pollock, Ross Veenstra, Klusener and Eldine Baptiste on the visitors, with captain Dale Benkenstein and Mark Bruyns sharing the fifth bowler's portion of overs.

The selectors have also named their squad for the Super Eights game against Gauteng at the Wanderers from Friday, where Natal will be eager for a win after their draw yesterday at the Kingsmead featherbed.

In the absence of the South African players, the same combination that played against Eastern Province has been chosen, with the addition of Zingari left-arm spinner Craig Tatton, who will be hoping to break into the starting XI for the first time this season.

Maritzburg Varsity's Lucky Dladla will make his first-class debut when Natal B take on Northerns B in their UCB Bowl match at the Oval in Pietermaritzburg from Thursday, joining a powerful bowling line-up that includes Keith Storey, Robbie Macqueen and Gulam Bodi.

Dladla is the only local cricketer in the Natal B squad, although fellow paceman Jomo Mbili goes to school in the area and opener Craig Sugden is a former Varsity player.

The squads: Natal v Griquas (tomorrow, Kingsmead): Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Errol Stewart, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Ahmed Amla, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra, Kevin Pietersen, Gary Gilder.

Griquas v Natal (tomorrow, Kingsmead): Mickey Arthur, Martyn Gidley, Pieter Koortzen, Willie Dry, Loots Bosman, Pat Symcox (capt), Wendell Bossenger, Andre' Botha, Ottis Gibson, Deon Kruis, Garth Roe, Grant Elliott (12th man).

Natal v Gauteng (Friday-Monday, Wanderers): Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Errol Stewart, Jon Kent, Ahmed Amla, Kevin Pietersen, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra, Gary Gilder, Craig Tatton.

Natal B v Northerns B (Thursday-Saturday, Oval): Mark Sanders, Craig Sugden, Wade Wingfield, Ashraf Mall, Duncan Brown, Grant Durose, Kyle Bender (capt), Robbie Macqueen, Gulam Bodi, Keith Storey, Lucky Dladla, Jomo Mbili.

Natal B v Northerns B (Sunday, Oval): Mark Sanders, Craig Sugden, Wade Wingfield, Ashraf Mall, Duncan Brown, Grant Durose, Kyle Bender (capt), Robbie Macqueen, Keith Storey, Jonathan Bastow, Jomo Mbili, Gulam Bodi.

Natal v Western Province (December 22, Newlands): Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Errol Stewart, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Ahmed Amla, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra.