RSA under-19s following in Kallis footsteps

When, as an example, did Jacques Kallis and David Terbrugge first play in a South African side of any description? Try Centurion Park, December 18, 1993. They were part of the SA Schools side which were badly thrashed by Northerns in a limited-overs end of the last official Nuffield Week. And if you are prepared to go back 11 months, some interesting names emerge, apart from that of Kallis. Heath Streak from Zimbabwe, Herschelle Gibbs and Dale Benkenstein, from South Africa, even Andy Flintoff, England (then in the visiting u/15 side).

Now in keeping with that sort of early post-isolation tradition, the South African under/19 teams we have had Mark Boucher, Paul Adams and Makhaya Ntini through the under/19 ranks which, Anton Ferreira, the joint coach of the South African under/19 teams against England the Youth World Cup and the side which today left on a six-weeks tour of Pakistan.

Led by Thami Tsolekile, who made his Western Province debut in a Standard Bank League game about a month ago, it includes an impressive group of talented youngsters, many of whom have already played for either their provincial senior of B sides. Shaun Adam has played for Natal, Johan Myburgh and the team's vice-captain, Jacques Rudolph, for Northerns B, with Rudolph briefly acting as 12th man for South Africa against the West Indies last Saturday. And what about Justin Ontong from Boland, batting at three is a weak side has not had an easy provincial baptism.

A year ago Tsolekile and Albert Nkomo missed out on the Youth World Cup tournament because of injuries; 12 months later they are off to Pakistan. ``As we have seen with the World Cup a year ago we know where we are going as our depth and strength grows,'' said Anton Ferreira joint coach with Vincent Barnes of the SA u/19 side. ``With so many having already been involved in the provincial set up the systems are in place to expose them to a more competitive level of the game.''

He added that the provincial under/19 series of three day matches played in December and early January each year had helped improve the depth of playing strength at this level and the young players of quality were emerging. The team is to play two warm up games, three four-day ``tests'' and three one-day ``internationals'' with matches in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura.

The squad is: Thami Tsolekile (capt), Jacques Rudolph (v-capt), Willen du Toit, Michael Williams, Graeme Smith, Johan Myburgh, Jonathan Trott, Albert Nkomo, Umar Abrahams, Andrew Puttick, Elton Tsiamasi (replacement for Victor Mpitsang), Con de Lange, Ahmed Amla, Shaun Adam, Justin Ontong.