South Africa likely to experiment with one-day series in the bag
If there was any doubt that the pressure has lifted from the South African squad, it was instantly erased on Friday morning when practice ahead of Saturday's sixth one-day international in Trinidad consisted almost entirely of a game of touch rugby
Marcus Prior
11-May-2001
If there was any doubt that the pressure has lifted from the South African
squad, it was instantly erased on Friday morning when practice ahead of
Saturday's sixth one-day international in Trinidad consisted almost entirely
of a game of touch rugby.
The South Africans have waited a long time on this tour for an
opportunity to unwind and enjoy the Caribbean, and after over two months of
intense physical and mental effort, the last final two 'dead' one-day games
represent a chance to rotate and experiment - properly.
Captain Shaun Pollock admitted as much after the win in Barbados which
gave South Africa an unassailable 4-1 lead in the series.
"The nice thing is we can give guys opportunities in decent positions,"
Pollock said. "To play someone and bat him at eight isn't really rotation
because he's not going to learn much, but in the next few games there may be
a chance for some of the guys to take on new roles and we can have a look at
how they perform."
The most obvious move is to give the likes of Justin Kemp and Justin
Ontong a chance to impress with the bat. Both have performed creditably
enough as bowlers, but the two young all-rounders form a major part of South
Africa's long-term plans for the 2003 World Cup, and early exposure to
batting responsibility at the highest level is now a priority for the
selectors. Ontong has had one innings (12 in the first game in Jamaica),
Kemp has yet to make it to the middle.
No surprises then that Ontong and Kemp were the two players to stay on
after touch rugby for a session of throw-downs with coach Graeme Ford and
assistant coach Corrie van Zyl.
Expect Paul Adams and Andre Nel to get a first run-out of the series in
the next two games - both have waited patiently for their chance and are
sure to be rewarded with the series now won.
Other options include a promotion up the order for vice-captain Mark
Boucher who has had no chance to prove his form with the bat. That has not
been an issue for Pollock, but the best efforts of the captain to capitalise
on the way he is hitting the ball - including promotions to number six and
then number five - have all been thwarted by the way the top order has
played and the emphatic margins of victory in the last four games.
Experiment they will, but as ever with South Africa, the thirst for
victory will be undiminished. West Indies captain Carl Hooper said earlier
in the series that he would like to rotate the options in his side, but that
there simply were not the players available. South Africa's embarrassment of
riches could hardly stand in greater contrast.