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Ntini dropped on form - out of ODI squad
By Ken Borland
19 January 1999
Lack of form has led to the beleagured Makhaya Ntini being left out of
the South African cricket squad for the January 22-February 7
limited-overs internationals against the West Indies. The 17-man squad
was announced after the completion of the Fifth Test yesterday.
Ntini, the country's leading black cricketer with four Test caps to
his name, has been charged with rape and will appear in court in
March, but Peter Pollock, the convenor of selectors, said Monday he
had been excluded purely on cricketing grounds. ``At the moment we
believe he is just not playing well enough,'' Pollock said. The United
Cricket Board executive recommended at the weekend that Ntini be
considered for selection.
As for players of colour being chosen for the seven-match one-day
series, three are in the squad, two of them new caps.
Herschelle Gibbs, the opener for the last four Tests, has predictably
been retained, even though the one-dayers may see him changing
position in the batting order, while Free State's black fast bowler,
Victor Mpitsang, and Boland swing bowler Henry Williams have received
their first call-ups to national duty.
Both Allan Donald and David Terbrugge have been left out of the squad
to rest niggling injuries, so vacancies in the pace bowling department
have been created. This has also allowed Gauteng all-rounder Andrew
Hall to make his debut.
``Mpitsang has done well in the one-dayers for Free State,'' Pollock
said when explaining the decision to choose the 18-year-old
paceman. ``He is tall and can take the ball away from the batsman.
``Hall has had a magnificent season as an all-rounder. He's a real
fighter,'' Pollock said of the 23-year-old Gautenger whose life has
changed in more ways than one since he narrowly survived an armed
hijacking in Johannesburg in September.
Paul Adams, the coloured spinner whose attacking bowling netted him
four wickets Monday as South Africa clinched a massive 351-run
victory, has been dropped for the limited-overs games, the selectors
trusting the veteran Pat Symcox and all-rounder Nicky Boje with the
spinning duties.
Natal star Dale Benkenstein, who has impressed with an unbeaten
century and a 49 since his two-month layoff with a broken finger,
retains the place he won in the national squad for the ICC Knockout
Trophy in Bangladesh late last year, joining provincial team-mates
Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener.
A preliminary squad of 30 was named for the World Cup in May,
including the 17 in the current line-up, Ntini, Donald, Terbrugge and
Natalian Andrew Hudson.
Squad for limited-overs series against West Indies:
Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan,
Hansie Cronje (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock (vc), Lance
Klusener, Mark Boucher, Pat Symcox, Steve Elworthy, Andrew Hall, Mike
Rindel, Dale Benkenstein, Nicky Bojé, Henry Williams, Victor Mpitsang.
Preliminary World Cup squad:
Adam Bacher, Dale Benkenstein, Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher, Hansie
Cronje, Derek Crookes, Daryll Cullinan, Alan Dawson, Allan Donald,
Steve Elworthy, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Mornantau Hayward,
Tyron Henderson, Andrew Hudson, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Gary
Kirsten, Lance Klusener, Victor Mpitsang, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun
Pollock, Nic Pothas, Ashwell Prince, Jonty Rhodes, Mike Rindel, Pat
Symcox, Roger Telemachus, David Terbrugge, Henry Williams.
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