Sth. Africa v. West Indies - 1st. Test

[Donny]

Dippenaar dropped and Klusener remains in the wilderness

Wisden Cricinfo staff

Lance Klusener's hopes of being recalled to the South African side were dashed when he was not included in the squad for the first Test against West Indies.

There was also no room for Paul Adams and Boeta Dippenaar, both of whom played in the second Test against Pakistan in October.

Omar Henry, the convener of selectors, explained that Adams had recovered from injury but it was not felt that the conditions at the Wanderers would suit him. He added that Dippenaar had "shown fantastic form in both international and domestic limited over cricket, but his form at Test level has been patchy. Having said that, Boeta is certainly not by any means completely out of our plans for the future."

Gary Kirsten, whose wife is expecting the couple's first baby any day, will make a decision on Monday about his availability. Should he withdraw, Martin van Jaarsveld will play in his place.

As for Klusener, he didn't even come close according to insiders, despite turning in some good performances for KwaZulu-Natal this season. The general feeling was that he had not done enough to warrant his inclusion.

Henry also said that Mfuneko Ngam would join the squad for the three days leading up to the Test before returning home at the start of the match. "Mfuneko has shown signs of returning to his best form this season," Henry explained. "The selectors feel that he would benefit from being involved with the squad."

The one surprise was the inclusion of Garnett Kruger, a 26-year old right-arm fast bowler, although his good performances for South Africa A helped his cause. "Garnett will benefit from being involved in the National team set up," said Henry. "We are continuing to broaden our search for quality fast bowlers, and we are giving ourselves every chance of finding the right mix."

The first Test starts at the Wanderers on December 12.

South African squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Martin van Jaarsveld, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Garnett Kruger, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Rudolph, Mark Boucher (wk), Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Robin Peterson, Makhaya Ntini, André Nel.

[couragous cloke]

HEAR WE GO!!!

Chanders in good form with a 246 against Free State and Riddley Jacobs with 154... Rampaul also has 5 fa 28!

[couragous cloke]

The Value of Chanderpaul

Saturday, December 06 @ 22:52:32 EST


by GARFIELD MYERS (Jamaica Observer)
Okay. So West Indies didn't dominate Zimbabwe to the extent we all hoped. But to listen to some people talk you'd think West Indies lost the Test and one-day series.

The fact is that they won both series. And I don't see the point in arguing that Zimbabwe are rated second from bottom in Test cricket ratings and therefore the Caribbean side's "scrape-through" win is of no consequence. Remember, our beloved team is rated third from bottom, in the 10-team Test Match table.

For me, the most disappointing aspect of the short tour was not simply that West Indies came within one wicket of losing the first Test or that they could only take the one-day series 3-2.

What hurt me most was that when Brian Lara's men got to Zimbabwe and even after they should have learnt hard lessons, they were often in cruise mode and very guilty of taking things for granted.

What seemed obvious to me is that while the Zimbabweans played to their potential or pretty close to it most of the time, the West Indies were rarely anywhere near their peak.

That, I suppose, can be interpreted as a good sign as we go into the South Africa tour. Having not played very well in the "warm-up" tour, maybe our boys can get it all together for the "real thing" in South Africa.

And if they could beat Zimbabwe while not playing consistently well, maybe they can give the powerful South Africans a real run playing at their best. It's a nice thought!

It's pretty much taken for granted that Lara will have to score heavily for West Indies to match the South Africans to whom they lost so embarassingly in '99/2000. But also, a key man will be 'Mister Dependable' Shivnarine Chanderpaul. If he is as consistent as he can be and holds the flairy but unpredictable batting together, we could have reason for celebration. In that regard Chanderpaul's double century in the opening first-class game is truly great news.

Young pacer Fidel Edwards apart, the West Indies bowling in Zimbabwe didn't amount to a lot. Hopefully, the 21-year-old Barbadian speed merchant can stay fit, Mervyn Dillon bowls to his potential and the 'old soldier' Vasbert Drakes finds the stamina and fitness to keep pegging away.

I like the decision by the Viv Richards-led selection panel to go for the left-arm, back-of-the hand spin of Dave Mohammed as replacement for the injured pacer Jerome Taylor. South African batsmen are not known for their expertise against spin, and who knows, the unorthodox servings of the young Trinidadian could prove their undoing.

[commonwombat]

C.C, I wouldn't get too carried away with performances vs Free State.

Being a native Vrystaater myself, this team used to be somewhat of a joke. It did produce Kepler Wessels but like many others (like yrs truly) quickly moved on to stronger teams. With the emergence of Allan Donald and Hansie Cronje, it then became a v strong side. However with their demise, Free State has resumed it's place as an also ran.

Not the best SA side I've seen selected and would hope that Kirsten is available. Agree with the dropping of Dippenaar who really has proven too soft at top level. Know nothing about Kruger and Nel hasn't set the world ablaze. Hall's selection is incomprehensible as I consider him a total mediocrity.

It would be great to see Ngam back in top cricket long term as this young black pacemen looked v promising a few years back before injury. To be honest, neither side looks brilliant and will favour SA. Kirsten's presence or absence may be telling.

[couragous cloke]

who's getting carried away?? im not stupid CommonWombat... the real stuff starts on friday, thats when ill be getting carried away.

[HAL]

Oh. . . . youre not?

[couragous cloke]

looks like Kirsten is out for the first test, Hmmm... interesting

[HAL]

Would you like to know more?

[Blanch]

Might as well be SA "C" team V WI. The windies "should" go 1 up if they are any sort of middle rank team.

[couragous cloke]

we've got more injuries than south africa Blank... oh i mean Blanch

[commonwombat]

Am keeping my money right where it should be, safe in my wallet. This may be the best chance for WI series hopes, if they can grab a jump here whereas may struggle if they fall behind quickly at start of series.

[Sultan of spin]

I'd be very interested to hear what the betting is on this series cos if windies are at any sort of value they might be worth putting a few bob on. I know I predicted SA to win the series but with a few injuries and the Windies impressive lead up form things may be starting to swing in their favor.

[commonwombat]

Kirsten WILL definitely miss the 1st Test due to birth of his first son. This may represent a slight opening for WI with the newbie Van Jaarsfeld taking his place in the squad.

There still remains the formidable trio of Gibbs, Smith and Kallis at the top of the order. Another possible option is the elevation of McKenzie in the order as this is his home track and he is aq fine player of the short ball.

[couragous cloke]

Merv will rip threw em

oh we're so screwed lol

[Donny]

Wanderers pitch 'a belter', says Smith

Telford Vice - Cricinfo

Graeme Smith hasn't played many matches at the Wanderers, but he knows a decent "Bullring" pitch when he sees one. And he thinks he saw a marvel in the making on Thursday on the eve of the first Test against West Indies at Johannesburg (starts Friday, 0830 GMT).

"It looks a fantastic pitch. It's the best Wanderers pitch I've seen in first-class or Test cricket," said Smith to muffled laughter from the gathered gaggle of journalists, who had already worked out that the 22-year-old Smith had played only one previous Test there. Indeed, Smith still had a year to go at school when West Indies last toured South Africa, in 1998-99, when they lost 5-0.

The Wanderers' reputation as a paceman's paradise is fading, and there is every chance of South Africa including left-arm spinner Robin Peterson in their XI. For their part West Indies would surely have picked their offspinner Omari Banks, but he has been sent home with a stress fracture of the spine. The alternative is Dave Mohammed, the left-arm wrist-spinner, but he has only just unpacked his bags after replacing the injured fast bowler Jerome Taylor, and his inclusion would be a desperate gamble. West Indies are more likely to depend on Chris Gayle's part-time offspin, which served them well in Zimbabwe.

The spin debate poses the most intriguing questions of the make-up of two otherwise settled sides, West Indies' injury problems notwithstanding. Most South African supporters will be more interested in how Smith handles his first home Test in charge - his 10th overall - than the composition of the team he leads.

Smith has led South Africa in nine Tests since succeeding Shaun Pollock, who was sacked after the World Cup, and he says he is coming to terms with the many facets of Test captaincy. Asked if he was feeling the pressure applied by an expectant public, he replied: "I'm not sure about pressure, but it's a lot more hectic. I heard the guys talking about going to the movies this afternoon. I've got selection meetings, match referee meetings, sponsorship commitments, and plenty of interviews. But I always knew that was part of the captain's territory, and I'm coping fine."

Smith was 21 when he was appointed as South Africa's youngest Test captain, and he leads a team that overall favours youth over experience. "We played touch rugby this morning," said Smith, "and we had to divide ourselves into under-28s and over-28s ... and there still weren't enough over-28s!"

The average age gap has been widened further by the withdrawal from this game of Gary Kirsten, who at 36 is the oldest man in the squad, as well South Africa's most capped player and their most prolific runscorer. But Kirsten is missing this game to be at his wife's side when she gives birth to their first child.

"He's a great player who will be sorely missed," said Smith, "but senior pros Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock are the best allrounders in the world and they are fantastic men to turn to for advice. I asked Jacques to come up with 15 to 20 key points about the 1998-99 and 2000 series [against West Indies] and to address us on them at the team meeting on Thursday night."

Meanwhile the West Indian captain Brian Lara managed a joke about his team's parlous injury situation, which has seen batsman Marlon Samuels sent home as well as Banks and Taylor. "We're all fit and well," said Lara, "... well, those of us who are here."

Lara, who has played in every one of West Indies' previous 11 Tests against South Africa, went on: "It has been something of a disrupted preparation, but over the years the strength of West Indies cricket has been the depth of our reserves, and I've noticed that start to come back in recent years."

Nonetheless Lara himself will be the linchpin in the West Indian batting line-up, although he tried to deflect the limelight. "We're including everyone in all the decision-making processes," he said. "Me and Ridley Jacobs are the old men of the squad now, so everyone is being involved. This team is a better team than the team of '98, despite the retirements of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, and there is no doubt we're better prepared. We spent a month playing international cricket before this tour, not a week sitting in a hotel room in London."

That was a reference to the pay dispute that threatened to derail the 1998-99 tour before it had even started. That proved a bad omen for the series that ended with the Windies whitewashed for the first time.

Five years on their is more harmony in the West Indian camp, but South Africa remain favourites.

South Africa (probable): 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Jacques Rudolph, 4 Jacques Kalllis, 5 Neil McKenzie, 6 Martin van Jaarsveld, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Shaun Pollock, 9 Andrew Hall, 10 Robin Peterson, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Wavell Hinds, 3 Daren Ganga, 4 Brian Lara (capt), 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Vasbert Drakes, 9 Merv Dillon, 10 Fidel Edwards, 11 Corey Collymore.