Three current top South African test players have one thing in common: they were part of the Class of 95, or members of the Under-24 team which toured Sri Lanka three years ago.
Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener were members of Dale Benkenstein's touring side which carried out a highly successful month-long vist to the emerald island of the Indan Ocean.
It was a rich crop of talent which has Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board, hoping for similar results during the South African A team tour of the island over the next five weeks.
He is confident there are players in the 15-strong party who will produce further evidence there is depth in the South African system.
As it is three members of the team, HD Ackerman and Nicky Boje, the vice-captain, and Derek Crookes have had some form of international experience. For Boje and Crookes it will be their third A team tour. They are also well experienced in sub-continent travel being members of the senior side to play in India and Pakistan.
Benkenstein has finally earned recognition from the national selectors who have included him in the South African team selected for the Commonwealth Games in September. That side is being led by the all-rounder Pollock.
While the side trained at SuperSport Centurion yesterday (Friday subs), Dr Bacher expressed confidence that this touring party would give players selected for Sri Lanka similar benefits.
He has also told Graham Ford, the new A team's coach, that the tour is ``not just about results'' but helping to ``unearth talent which can come through to soon lay for South Africa''.
Although he did not put a timetable on how soon he expexted players to emerge, next year's one-day World Cup in England was looked on as being a possible starting point.
``I am hoping that by 1999 some of those who are going to Sri Lanka will be able to stake a claim for the World Cup team next May,'' he added.
As South Africa are to tour India in February/March in 2000 and Sri Lanka in August and September later that year, those whose performances have impressed the touring team's management could find themselves being considered for one of those tours.