With the promise of a ``green flier'' at St George's Park this weekend, Peter Kirsten has included the young duo to share the load as they take an puffed-up Eastern Province side as the SuperSport Series takes centre stage. For Townsend it should be his A Section debut after an apprenticeship which includes last summer with Northerns B along with worthwhile spells in the Northerns as well as the national academies.
Basically it is the same route which Joubert, also 20, has undergone although he has already bowled at A Section level yet the knowledge that at an age when most are starting to make their way at provincial level he is already into his third season.
No doubt Townsend owes much to the nine wickets he picked up at Newlands, including a first-class best of six for 44 against Western Province B in the opening UCB Bowl match.
But there has always been the hint from Kirsten that when the opportunity presented itself the young man would earn his first call up papers. Anyone who has Clive Rice joining the queue of experts, starting with Anton Ferreira, the Northerns Academy' s director, extolling his abilities must be someone sepecial. But then Rice has also dished out similar praise to Joubert and Greg Smith.
``You guys just seem to be rolling them out these days,'' he commented earlier this year. ``Almost like the West Indies a few years ago.''
The words may sound fancy, but they have been backed with a sound knowledge of fast bowling, a subject which Kirsten also has plenty of first hand knowledge during a career which spanned more than 20 years during which he faced some of the modern greats.
So ... when you hear the comment ``he looks to have a lot of promise'' you know the Titans coach has run a shrewd eye over Townsend's bowling abilities and is quite happy with what he has seen. The next stage, putting that ability into action, is another matter and answers only the bowler can provide.
As expected, in the absence of Steve Elworthy, the four-pronged pace attack is headed by Rudi Bryson joined by Smith, Joubert and Townsend.
Also brought into the team for the first time is Quinten Still, who led Northerns B so efficiently against Province B last weekend. But, as Kirsten is quick to explain, it also gives Northerns the option of a left-arm spinner for St George's Park.
Which means Deon Jordaan is most likely to take over as captain of the B side to play Griqualand West B at Centurion Park in a three-day and limited-overs UCB Bowl game. But as there are a few worries about pace bowling options because of injuries and Townsend's elevation to the senior ranks, Chris van Noordwyk, the B team coach, has delayed naming the B squad.
Pierre de Bruyn's shoulder, which has troubled him this year, has eliminated him as a bowler and Van Noordwyk has been looking at options which include more emerging talent in Victor Faull and Gerhard Diest.
Squad
Northerns (to play Eastern Province): Quinten Still, Roy Pienaar, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gerald Dros, Dirkie de Vos, Rudolph Steyn, Dennis Smith, Mark davis (capt), David Townstend, Greg Smith, Pierre Joubert, Rudi Bruson.