IN CENTURION

Free State captain Gerhardus Liebenberg last night faced the truth he had been dreading for more than a week when old Northerns adversaries Mike Rindel and Roy Pienaar passed the fitness test for Friday's quarter-final joust in the Standard Bank Cup knock-out stages.

When Liebenberg last saw this pair together he felt the cold shivers of run-making retribution on a hot October night at the start of the season and the limited-overs programme barely underway. After all Liebenberg must have fancied Free State's chances of another victory after his century had set him up for the man of the match award.

Only along come the Titans openers, Rindel and Pienaar, hijacking the match with a record series first wicket partnership of 240 at Springbok Park and Rindel walking off with the award Liebenberg felt had been his. It was not a night to remember.

After all, Rindel and Pienaar, seems more like a furniture removal company than smooth batting operators in the habit of establishing records and making the opposition pay for bowling too short, too wide and both sides of the stumps.

Peter Kirsten grinned broadly when he announced late yesterday, shortly before the start of the spit braai at which the team members received their gold medals for winning the league section, that Rindel and Pienaar were ready to face Free State in the cup outing at SuperSport Centurion.

``Things are looking good,'' he said. ``And Rindel and Pienaar are fit and okay, and we should know who will be in the squad of 12 when I cut it down (to size).''

This will be later tonight after a testing middle-net under lights followed by a light fielding session under lights tomorrow night. While keeping his squad fit and focused, the other plan is to also see they retain their motivation.

As Kirsten explains, it is all about the players ``peaking at the right time''. Also part of the squad are Rudolf Steyn and Deon Jordaan, both have been struggling with injuries but both have come through Kirsten's tough schedule. For those who have not experience practice and playing conditions in that unattractive part of the English midlands, Kirsten's schedule is tough and hard.

led by Mark Davis, who heads the final SuperSport Series bowling averages this season (now there's a turn up for those who doubted his ability) Kirsten and his other two selectors, Davis and Chris van Noordwyk, have an unpleasant job of leaving out three.

Apart from Rindel, Pienaar, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gerald Dros and Dirkie de Vos, the batting has to be finely balanced and with Quentin Ferreira showing off his improved all-round talents every time he plays, the depth is starting to emerge, perhaps at the right time.

Squad

Mike Rindel, Roy Pienaar, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gerald Dros, Dirkie de Vos, Dennis Smith, Pierre Joubert, Quentin Ferreira, Greg Smith, David Townsend, Mark Davis (capt), Rudi Bryson, Rudolf Steyn, Deon Jordaan and Quentin Still