Date-stamped : 23 Dec96 - 06:14 22 December 1996 Sadly, Jonty may be at the end of the road. Rodney Hartman What is absolutely certain at this special time of the year is that everyone gets at least one gift they don`t want. This is okay if it`s a bottle of after-shave that you can wrap up again and present to ypur pal on his next birthday. It`s no so nice if it happens to be a message of solace and a pat on the back as the selectors announce that they have decided to drop you. That kind of gift is difficult to wrap up in pretty paper and giv away to an unsuspecting friend. Its yours for the keeping, as Jonty Rhodes will no doubt confirm. Also, what about all those awful cliches when someone get axed? You know, "we`re sure he`ll under- stand it`s in the best interests of the team" and "he`s too gooda player to be out for too long..." To all of these platitudes the recipient naturally responds that (a) "I was half expecting it", (b) "this is a bit of a surprise" or "I`ll be doing my best to get back". Whatever words are offered, deep down the person concerned is terribly hurt. Jonty Rhodes is no doubt feeling that way at this time of festive cheer. It was against India four years ago that he made his Test debut; it is against India now that he is shown the exit after 28 Tests. The real sadness is that this could well be the end of the line for him. To examine his situation dispassionately, what route can he now take to get back? Constantly type-cast as a "specialist-fielder", that speciality alone will not take him back. Canstantly under suspicion as a specialist batsman, he could continue to fall foul of a selection panel that is looking to strengthen the batting. It is hard to know what Rhodes has to do to regain his place in the Test team. The only small comfort is that he can still make a serious claim for the one-day squad. I don`t mind admitting that I share Rhode`s pain. Four years ago, a poll run on another newspaper, I was the only contributor who had him in my Test team against India. It`s true that I felt some smug satisfaction when the selectors ap- parently agreed with me, indeed, I became obnoxiously cocky when Rhodes went on to top the averages of both sides in that series, a very tidy 45.83 runs per innings. On at least two oc- casions he came to the crease with South Africa in trouble; both times he steered the ship back on course. At the Wanderers, he arrived on 11 for three to score 91 and at Newlands he came in on 78 for four and hit 86. Rhodes, you see, is a battler who epitomised the spirit ot the new South African cricket team as it gradually clawed its way up the ladder of world cricket. More than anyone else, he was the quintessential new face of SA cricket, the finest role model in the game whose name was on the lips of cricket-loving kids from Brakpan to Ban- galore, from Balgowan to beyond. I had Jonty in my team for two reasons - because I knew he was able to rise against the odds and because he represented every- thing that was positive and good about the new order. Now, I fear, his time has gone. This is particularly hard to accept be- cause he missed the final two Tests in India through injury and because the coming Test match is being played on his home ground at Kingsmead where, on his Test debut in Novenber 1992, he had scores of 41 and 26 not out. I do not say all of this in order to undermine the like of Her- schell Gibbs and Adam Bacher. Their time is now come, their wonderful talents are many and varied, to them the chance to make the cricket world sit up and take note. may they do so with gus- to. Just as long as they know - and we all remember - that Jonty Rhodes is a very special act to follow. Very special indeed. Contributed by Tony.Hassett (hasett@scientia.up.ac.za)