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SOUTH Africa's preparation for the World Cup, which seemed to be splendidly orchestrated, needed re-tuning as the team moved across the southern part of England, hoping for a match against Kent today.

Playing cricket is of crucial concern to Hansie Cronjé and his players, who have been in action only in Gary Kirsten's benefit game in the past five weeks.

The weather forecast yesterday was ambivalent, although a repeat of Friday in Hove is unlikely. No play was possible against Sussex, which was a particularly cruel blow.

All the teams were scheduled to have at least one warm-up match on a ground where they will play a World Cup game. For South Africa, the opportunity to assess the effect of Hove's notorious north to south slope, which affects both the pitch and outfield, would have been invaluable preparation for Saturday's opening battle with India.

All the other teams in Group A had some cricket on Friday, although Zimbabwe were on the field for only 10 overs.

India batted for a full innings before rain ended their outing in Leicester. Rahul Dravid, the sort of well-organised, unflamboyant batsman who could prove more valuable than the dashing Jayasuriyas and Ijaz Ahmeds in the 1999 World Cup, made 60. India's star batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, recovering from a back injury, was out for four.

There has been an irony to South Africa's build-up. A team renowned for it ability to focus on the task at hand has been unsettled byevents peripheral to the playing of cricket.

The injuries to Jonty Rhodes and Steve Elworthy were both suffered in the name of team bonding, Rhodes damaging a tendon above his right wrist while rowing two weeks ago, and Elworthy sustaining a torn calf muscle while playing touch rugby.

When Rhodes saw a specialist in London on Thursday he had acortisone injection and was fitted with a splint. From being regarded as no more than ``sore'', his participation against India is threatened.

Cronjé was optimistic but allowed his thoughts to stray to the possibility of Rhodes being absent. ``I have played with him in more than 150 one-day games. You don't notice him so much until he doesn't play. He makes a big, big difference.''

Cronjé remained optimistic because of Rhodes's determination. ``He has often played with a broken finger or whatever and given his all . . . if a player really wants to get out there it speeds up therecovery period.''

Allan Donald's ill-timed revelations in extracts from a ghostwritten book published in a tabloid newspaper were sufficiently disruptive for coach Bob Woolmer to feel the need to emphasise the ability to withstand external pressure by ``sorting it out within the team''.

A full day's cricket against Kent would be an ideal way to restore the focus. Kent have some useful players, including the explosive Australian batsman Andrew Symonds, who made an aggressive 57 againstEngland on Friday, and two discarded England bowlers, Dean Headley and Matthew Fleming.

With the skies more grey than blue, a report in the Daily Telegraph concluded that the weather would have to be unusually kind for the World Cup to be an unqualified success. Consistently dry and sunny weather from May to mid-June only occurs once in 15 years. The last time was 1989.

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