Kirsten prepares for second Boland clash
Trevor Chesterfield
25 November 1998
CENTURION (South Africa) - Peter Kirsten, having already accepted the
need for the replay, feels that round number two with Boland in the
SuperSport Series could provide an interesting set of challenges for
Northerns.
While the outing has been transferred to Centurion and the Titans were
given some of the day off yesterday, all-rounder Quentin Still today
finds himself in the squad for the replay of the abandoned match in
Paarl 10 days ago.
His inclusion does not quite come as a surprise as he could have
played in the first SuperSport Series match in Port Elizabeth. At
least with his orthodox left-arm finger spin he will add some variety
to the attack, and he has as lo shown some promise with his batting as
well.
``Our batting is starting to show positive signs and they are building
totals, which is what is needed to remain competitive,'' Kirsten said
last night.
Kirsten, not the sort to allow irritations such as a replay gains
Boland upset the team rebuilding process, felt Northerns had been in
with a chance of beating Gauteng in the A Section game on Sunday.
Only the rain at a crucial stage of the innings disrupted the plan.
``We lost 10 overs and that made it so much harder for the batsmen to
get in with it from where they left off,'' he said.
It is a fair comment as the rain after tea was long enough to wipe out
10 overs and disrupt the fluency of the opening partnership between
Mike Rindel and Rudolf Steyn.
But Kirsten shrugged the events of the Gauteng game aside and is now
focusing on the replay against Boland. It is a key game in that in
Paarl Northerns were well placed to win the match. And the question
needs to be asked whether Steve Elworthy and Greg Smith did not suffer
as a result of not being able to bowl.
While others were showing off their form to Peter Pollock and the rest
of the national selectors, the Northerns pairing had little else to do
but put their back into a couple of net practices.
Now Smith, and Martin van Jaarsveld, get a chance to bid for a place
in the South African A side to play the West Indians in a four-day
game Pietermaritzburg next month. With Sven Koenig already guaranteed
one place as an opening batsman, and no doubt Gerhardus Liebenberg the
second, van Jaarsveld should find himself in a middle-order spot.
As for Smith, his bowling against Gauteng, should see him back in the
A Side along with Herman Bakkes and Gary Gilder.
The side for that game is likely to be announced in Port Elizabeth
after or during the second test against the West Indies.
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