South Africa retain Ontong for first Test

Justin Ontong, controversially included in the South African side for the third Test in Sydney last month at the insistence of United Cricket Board president Percy Sonn, has been retained for the first Test against Australia starting at the Wanderers on Friday.

Ontong is down to bat at six against the Australians in a side that will be led by Shaun Pollock, provided he is passed fit to play. Pollock picked up a side strain on the first day of KwaZulu-Natal's SuperSport match against Easterns in Durban, and although the injury is not considered too serious at this stage, a decision on his availability will only be taken later this week. Ande Nel has been placed on standby while Boucher will take over the captaincy if Pollock cannot play.

The selection of Ontong is bound to raise debate again, although this time the arguments might be driven more by cricketing concerns than political agendas. In extremely difficult circumstances, Ontong acquitted himself well in the Sydney Test, scoring 9 and 32 on a turning pitch.

That Ontong has the potential to become a very good Test player is not in question, but his experience at this level is limited and, since Sydney, he has had only one innings in the middle, scoring 29 for Boland against the Highveld Strikers at the weekend. Selection convener Rushdi Magiet said he had spoken to Boland coach Omar Henry who told him that Ontong had batted very well for his runs.

More to the point, South Africa have been vulnerable at number six since Lance Klusener's form dribbled away and whether a young player in only his second Test match has the nous to be able to shepherd the strokeplayers through the latter part of the innings to be seen.

South Africa's middle order has still to settle itself and Magiet could not confirm who would be batting at three in the Test match. The obvious choice is Jacques Kallis, but Magiet indicated that Kallis himself preferred to go in at four in Australia.

The team was announced in Potchefstroom on Monday, before Daryll Cullinan had a chance to press his claims against the Australians out in Potchefstroom. Had Cullinan scored any runs of significance prior to the naming of the team, the selectors could hardly have left him out, in which case the middle order might have worked itself out.

As things stand, though, Boeta Dippenaar has also been retained despite a disappointing Test series against Australia in which he finally came good in the last innings of the series. He found form in theone-day series, but he has still to prove himself conclusively as a Test match batsmen.

Apart from the opening pair and Ontong at six, there is no clarity at this stage as to how the batting will line up. Part of the confusion can be put down to the fact that Magiet spoke to neither the captain, Pollock, nor the coach, Graham Ford, before sitting down to pick the team.

There is one significant, and entirely predictable, change to the Sydney Test team, though. Makhaya Ntini returns at the expense of Claude Henderson on the back of his splendid form in the one-day series. Whether he will take the new ball ahead of Allan Donald, however, is not known. It is another thing that Magiet will have to discuss with Pollock before South Africa eventually take the field on Friday.

South African team

Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock (capt), Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Allan Donald. Twelfthman: Graeme Smith. On Standy: Andre Nel.