Kingsmead Test: Guessing game continues as Adams comes into picture.

Durban - It depends who you really want to believe, the South African captain, Hansie Cronje, or the guy from what appears to be from the Kowloon Morning Post, who seems to be an "ex-spurt" as well.

Only as an "ex-spurt" is a cross between a has been and a tap under pressure what the man accredited so far from home for a Test thinks, can not seriously affect South Africa's relations with China. Cronje's thoughts, though, of whether or not Paul Adams would play, were more relevant.

Not that Cronje directly answered the query posed at Kingsmead yesterday as he was about to face a few of coach Graham Ford's throw downs at the indoor nets. Perhaps the "ex-spurt" from Kowloon had a theory about that as well as the skipper carefully selected his words when the "will he, won't he (Adams) play" thought was given a run. It came in the light of the view from the England camp that Phil Tufnell is likely to be given another Test in this five-match series.

"It is always nice to go into a game with a balanced attack," said Cronje giving that grin which tells you nothing at all and forces you to make up your own mind as the guessing game continues.

"We have been a little unbalanced (this series) simply because of the Jacques Kallis injury . . ."

Which led to the query that it seemed, based on this assumption, Adams would play.

"Well, that's your theory," was Cronje's reply.

Which suggests Adams could become a serious candidate for a Test place ahead of any number of options; one is that Gary Kirsten may be asked to sit out, a second is Kallis has much to prove, a third is that it will be a straight swap between Adams' wrist spin and Mornantau Hayward's shell-shock style of pace.

If Cronje's "balanced attack" and "need for variety" comments are to be taken at face value and Kallis is fit enough to slot in as the fourth seamer, Adams is the likely fifth bowler for the Test attack at Kingsmead. Cronje did qualify his statement by saying that all would be revealed on Christmas day when the team's physio, Craig Smith arrives.

"When you have just come out of an injury you have to take it easy, so we will have to wait and see what he (Kallis) can and cannot do," said Cronje. As for the pitch conditions the Natal players have a few theories of their own, one of which is that it is likely to take turn at some stage of the Test. "I'll leave that to the Natal players," Cronje said. "We'll see how it works out."

Although Cronje did not lament too much about weather conditions his first thought was how it would be on the morning of the game. So far there has been so much rain that they have had to bring in the "super sopper" equipment from the Wanderers to keep the outfield as fit as possible for play on Boxing Day.

The weather forecast for the 48 hours leading to the Test is not all that great either: more thunderstorms have been predicted, as if enough rain has not fallen in the area already.

England had a work out earlier and such have been the conditions that Alan Mullally went through a fitness test when charging up and down the driveway at the back of the stadium. The rest of the day was as it has been since England arrived on Wednesday, humid and wet and more in keeping with Colombo.

Mark Ramprakash finally clocked in at noon yesterday as cover for cover (Darren Maddy may twist an ankle). We are told there is still some bother about Michael Vaughan's injury. What can be made of that touch of double talk depends on what you are likely to get out of the media relations.

What a "maybe" Maddy ankle injury has to do with a decision on Vaughan's fitness is a little like the "Loony Tunes" episode where Pluto becomes confused looking for a bone, has dug up several parts of the garden and cannot remember which hole he dug first.

The best quip of the day though came from Lance Klusener, who when asked of his opinion of England's bowlers, told to examine a video of his batting in the Tests at the Wanderers and Port Elizabeth.

"They are forgetting there are 10 other players in the side," he said. Cronje's rejoinder to England's video session is that as Klusener has been working hard with the coach, Ford, he would no doubt have a theory or two of his own to combat whatever strategy the England bowlers adopt.

South Africa (from): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje (capt), Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Allan Donald, Paul Adams, Mornantau Hayward.

England (possibly from): Michael Atherton, Darren Maddy, Nasser Hussain (capt), Michael Vaughan/Mark Ramprakash, Alec Stewart, Chris Adams, Andrew Flintoff, Gavin Hamilton Alex Tudor, Andrew Caddick, Allan Mullally, Darren Gough, Phil Tufnell.

Umpires: Dave Orchard (SA) and Doug Cowie (NZ); TV: Wilf Diedricks

Hours of play: 10.00am-12.00pm;12.40-2.40; 3.00-5.00pm.