Argentina prepares for its 100th north-south contest
Tony Munro - 6 March 1999

This weekend is one of the biggest in years for cricket in Argentina with the staging of the 100th annual North vs. South match. ICC Americas Development Officer, John Shepherd, Mickey Stewart (England) and former South African great Clive Rice are among the guests to have flown in for the three-day match which began yesterday at the Belgrano A.C. ground. The match, which is steeped in tradition, splits Argentina's club sides on geographical lines, with players from Hurlingham Club, Belgrano A.C. and St.George's North forming the North XI, while the South XI includes players from Lomas A.C., St.Alban's and St.George's South.

To date, the South XI has won 42 times, the North XI 26, with 31 matches drawn. The series reached its peak during the 1920s and 1930s when the quality of play was reputed to have reached county standard.

The three-day match and tonight's celebration dinner will climax a week of festivities which have included celebrity matches, coaching clinics conducted by Shepherd and Stewart, and a night-time Six-A-Side tournament. The final of the tournament finished at midnight with Hurlingham defeating St.Alban's. The dinner will also be attended by the Argentine Minister for Sport, the Rugby Union legend, Hugo Porta.

The two teams for the match are:
North XI - Guillermo Kirschbaum (Capt.), Donnie Forrester (v-c), Gastin Arizaga, Pablo Ferguson, Alejandro Ferguson, Andres Perez Rivero, Martin Cortabarria, Marc Nota, Murray Davies, Malcolm Van Steeden, Gerben Swaga; 12th man - Joaquin Ortega.
South XI - Martin Juarez (Capt.), Matias Paterlini (v-c), Carlos Gibson, Grant Dugmore, Bernardo Irigoyan, Martin Siri, Diego Lord, Hernan Pereyra, Estaban MacDermott, Christian Tunon, Lucas Paterlini; 12th man - Pablo Ryan.