Nel, Prince replace Pollock and Ontong in SA Test team

Ashwell Prince will replace Justin Ontong in the South African team for the first Test match against Australia starting at the Wanderers on Friday after a day in which the home team lost two of their first choice players.

Ontong, who has a pulled hamstring, and captain Shaun Pollock, who strained the muscles in his left side in a provincial match last weekend, both withdrew from the South African team on Thursday. Andre Nel had already been placed on standby and will step up to win his third Test cap with Mark Boucher taking over the captaincy, but Prince's elevation to the Test team was rather more dramatic.

The 24-year-old Western Province left-hander had shoulder surgery during the winter and his first first-class innings of the summer was played against the Australians in Potchefstroom earlier in the week. He took 92 of the full-strength Australian attack and it was clearly this innings that earned him his unexpected call-up.

Prince has been mostly regarded as a one-day player, a gifted batsman with a tendency to make good-looking 30s and 40s before giving his wicket away, and he surprised many observers in Potchefstroom with his willingness to knuckle down and work for his runs.

Three other candidates for a Test place, Graeme Smith, Daryll Cullinan and Jacques Rudolph, all failed in Potchefstroom, but there has to be sympathy for Rudolph who has still to win his first Test cap. He played in the unofficial third Test against India in November and was picked for the third Test against Australia in Sydney in January only to be omitted when United Cricket Board president Percy Sonn rejected the team given to him by the South African selectors.

"I am very excited," said Prince. "The SA 'A' match against Australia in Potchefstoom was a good experience for me and I am very honoured to be given this chance - it's a dream come true for me. I will go out there and give it my very best shot."

Australia were already firm favourites to take the Test series and their chances can only have been enhanced by these late disruptions to the South African side.