Kwazulu-Natal Cricket Preview

Rhodes' withdrawal was a precautionary measure and he should be fit to play on Friday when Natal face Eastern Province in front of their home crowd at Kingsmead.

Paarl's Boland Bank Park pitch has twice been condemned as sub-standard this season and the Natalians will be wondering what sort of surface will greet them this afternoon.

Coach Frans Cronje is worried about a Boland backlash now that they are at rock-bottom with minus points in the Standard Bank League and four straight four-day losses, but he's also got several options to mull over when he selects Natal's starting XI.

Two spinners, left-armer Anthony Botha and offie Robbie MacQueen, are in the squad of 12, and both have done well in recent limited-overs matches. There are also plenty of riches in the seam department, with all-rounders Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Wingfield, and specialists Keith Storey and Gary Gilder.

The batting is similarly blessed, even without Rhodes.

Keith Forde has been a revelation at the top of the order and he will partner an in-form Doug Watson. Several strokeplayers will follow, with Klusener, Andrew Hudson, Mark Bruyns and Pollock all able to capitalise on any stray bowling.

Boland, on the other hand, have few players of such note, other than former SA wicketkeeper Steve Palframan, the experienced Kenny Jackson and former Northerns all-rounder Dan van Zyl.

Van Zyl, having been ignored by the Springbok selectors for the Grand Slam tour of Britain, will now be strutting his stuff in white cricket boots rather than his black rugby footwear, and he could just be the spark to get Boland going again.

His well-varied off-spin and busy batting took Northern Transvaal to several day/night wins in his 44 matches for them between 1992/93 and 97/98, and his competitive nature will ensure Natal face dangerous opponents, far better suited to the limited-overs game than first-class cricket.

Palframan has been a succesful pinch-hitter at the top of the order before, while Jackson, his captaincy no doubt under severe pressure, could well produce a much-needed major innings in the destructive fashion he prefers. Left-arm quickie Charl Willoughby, Boland's must successful player so far this season, leads the bowling attack.

After the battering they took in the SuperSport Series in November, Natal will be going all out to return to winning ways tonight, and put themselves in joint first position on the Standard Bank League log.

Teams

Boland: Evert Ferreira, Steve Palframan, Justin Ontong, Kenny Jackson (capt), Doug Gain, Dan van Zyl, Sean Ackermann, Donovan Koch, Jacques van Wyk, Henry Williams, Charl Willoughby, Dewald van Wyk, Sarel Wolmarans.

Natal: Doug Watson, Keith Forde, Lance Klusener, Andrew Hudson, Errol Stewart (capt), Mark Bruyns, Shaun Pollock, Anthony Botha, Robbie MacQueen, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder, Wade Wingfield. TV: 4pm CSN.

Other news

The Natal U19s will play a three-day game against their Border counterparts at Hoy Park from Sunday to next Wednesday.

Natal U19 squad: Ahmed Amla (capt), Gregg Fry, MP Ferreira, Warren Hauptfleisch, Kevin Pieterson (vc), Rivash Gobind, Simon Greyvensteyn, Michael Nienaber, Faeez Khan, Shaun Adam, Desigan Reddy, Richard Mhlanzi, Myren Pillay.