Centurion (South Africa) - Mark Davis did not have too much time to get caught up in the recent World Cup carnival in England. He was too busy plotting his own future in the leafy surrounds of his Surrey club and which this week saw his reappointment as Northerns captain as part of planning for next season. The way coach Peter Kirsten and his deputy Chris van Noordwyk see it Davis is their choice to take the province into the pre-millennium season and build on from where Northerns ended last summer. It is the sort of move which will go down well with the all-rounder and the rest of the 17 strong squad announced a month ago.

Under pressure through indifferent form in the first half of last season David was replaced as the Northerns Super Sport Series skipper by Gerald Dros in a move which caused Davis the sort of anguish needed to sort out his own game and turn him into a better player. For one thing his bowling form produced several productive performances in hostile conditions for off-spinners and there was a noticeable turn around in his batting; no doubt we will see an extension of this when Northerns start their stiff pre-season programme which starts on July 19. The fitness evaluation programme is from July 23. Although Davis record as a limited-overs leader is without question, leading the province two Standard Bank League titles in three seasons, the first-class programme was far from happy until his return as a player in the outing against Griqualand West in Kimberley. It was the turn around he needed and his reappointment is likely to make him just that little more competitive as Northerns, now one of the top province in the domestic system look forward to winning at least one of the two titles on offer. As it is Northerns have lost four players to Easterns: which was to have been expected as the East Rand neighbours granted, with North West, A Section status for at least the next three season, have to poach their talent from other areas if they are to survive.

Gone are Deon Jordaan, who stirred the waters a little, Pierre de Bruyn, Mark Conyers, Anthony Pollock and Dennis Smith while Victor Faul is on loan to North West. Jordaan's two seasons as a top-order batsman with Northerns will not be remembered as anything special, the all-rounder Conyers was battling to come through while Smith decided in April it was time to retire and concentrate of family business interests. Seems he was not too keen to miss the excitement of the day/night bashes.

It is a pity about De Bruyn though. He is a solid all-rounder and we could see him return 12 months down the road. Either that or he will get lost in the Easterns system. Fauls move to Potchefstroom had been predicted. What it means is that he should get the sort of exposure needed to develop his fast bowling talents and as he is on loan should be an asset when he returns. With Neil McKenzie finally deciding to move to Centurion Park instead of remaining in Gauteng, Northerns should solve the No.3 batting spot, enabling Martin van Jaarsveld to bat down the order at four where he can display his stylish and fluent talents. McKenzie is the only new signing. The pre-season programme includes a training camp from September 1 with a four day match against Gauteng from September 7 to 10 at Rand Afrikaans University. A game against North West, most likely in Potchefstroom is being followed by a two-match tour with games against Boland in Paarl and Eastern Province in Port Elizabeth. A limited-overs match has also been planed in Pieternsburg on September 24 when fringe players will catch a game.

Northerns would like Steve Elworthy to be available for some of the games this season. It will be interesting to see what the new selection panel make of the programme this season and how Elworthy, looked on as a limited-overs bowler may fit into their plans.

Kirsten suggested last season he may have to find replacements for Greg Smith and David Townsend and even Pierre Joubert for that matter. Which means any input from Elworthy would be welcomed.