Philo Wallace fit and well again
By Trevor Chesterfield
23 December 1998
PIETERMARITZBURG - What ever the ailment which laid low Philo Wallace
in Port Elizabeth - a touch of yellow jaundice or glandular fever his recovery in time for the third test at Kingsmead should help the
West Indies during their own convalescence period since the St
George's Park thrashing.
If Windies coach Malcolm Marshall was signalling the right message
yesterday, Wallace is ready to return, which might see a readjustment
of their top six for the Durban match against South Africa and now
only three days away.
He looked energetic at the indoor nets at Kingsmead yesterday after
both outdoor sessions were scrapped because of the weather and took
everything which test pace bowling candidates Nixon McLean and
Franklyn Rose bowled at him: two human catapults whose aim is to win
the two remaining places in the pace attack.
With South Africa's top six settled for this match at least, although
thoughts of Jacques Kallis opening ahead of Western Province teammate
Herschelle Gibbs, has not been entirely discounted the tourists are
still searching.
An interesting one that as it could see Clayton Lambert lose his place
or bat lower in the order and Stewart Williams partnering Wallace in
what Marshall and the manager, Clive Lloyd, hope will lead to a major
resuscitation of the team's languishing image after losing the first
two tests of the series. Pulling this one back is crucial to their
cause if not long-term future as island identity looms to put the term
West Indies under further threat.
As Brian Lara has admitted ``We have to dig deep and look closely at
ourselves for this one'' as it is the most important match of the tour.
Naturally the Windies are generally happy with their form from the
game against South Africa A, but take away the 182 by Shavnarine
Chanderpaul and you have little to recommend the touring team's
current form, which is why Wallace's return has been eagerly welcomed
by the touring team's management. Then we might find Junior Murray
brought back to the side as an extra lower-order batsman and Carl
Hooper doubling as the spinner.
While Hansie Cronje and several other members of the South African
side started arriving in Durban yesterday, and a Christmas Day net
planned, Lara and Marshall cancelled their first pre-test session
yesterday morning. The tourists have two straight choices should they
opt for the Wallace/Williams partnership to open the innings: Lambert
or Floyd Reifer. Frankly Reifer is not worth is place in even a
fourth form side let alone a test team battling to keep the series
alive and a life support unit in close attendance. He looked
uncomfortable against moderate South Africa A bowling and, as he did
not face Lance Klusener in the second innings, was not under genuine
pressure on the last afternoon.
South Africa have become more disciplined during each session of the
series, the bowling is well organised and the batting, despite some
moderate performances has been that much better than anything the
tourists have managed so far.
The way Cronje and Bob Woolmer, the coach, have re-organised South
Africa since the tour of England shows that the side has emerged as a
strong unit than it was 12 months ago.
There is the view that David Terbrugge has provided the consistency
needed to add an important ingredient missing in the pace attack in
England after Lance Klusener's injury. Whether this theory is fact
rather than fiction still has to be worked out. And only a revival of
class Windies batting form is capable of putting this claim on trial.
And no doubt Cronje will not put his wicket at risk again this series
by being run out twice without knowing where the ball has gone.
Teams
South Africa (from): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques
Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock,
Pat Symcox, Gary Boucher Allan Donald, David Terbrugge, Paul Adams.
West Indies (possible): Philo Wallace, Clayton Lambert, Brian
Lara (captain), Shavnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Junior Murray,
Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Franklyn
Rose, Rawl Lewis.
Umpires: Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
TV: Rudi Koertzen
TV: SABC 1 and DSTV
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