Philo Wallace fit and well again

If Windies coach Malcolm Marshall was signalling the right message yesterday, Wallace is ready to return, which might see a readjustment of their top six for the Durban match against South Africa and now only three days away.

He looked energetic at the indoor nets at Kingsmead yesterday after both outdoor sessions were scrapped because of the weather and took everything which test pace bowling candidates Nixon McLean and Franklyn Rose bowled at him: two human catapults whose aim is to win the two remaining places in the pace attack.

With South Africa's top six settled for this match at least, although thoughts of Jacques Kallis opening ahead of Western Province teammate Herschelle Gibbs, has not been entirely discounted the tourists are still searching.

An interesting one that as it could see Clayton Lambert lose his place or bat lower in the order and Stewart Williams partnering Wallace in what Marshall and the manager, Clive Lloyd, hope will lead to a major resuscitation of the team's languishing image after losing the first two tests of the series. Pulling this one back is crucial to their cause if not long-term future as island identity looms to put the term West Indies under further threat.

As Brian Lara has admitted ``We have to dig deep and look closely at ourselves for this one'' as it is the most important match of the tour. Naturally the Windies are generally happy with their form from the game against South Africa A, but take away the 182 by Shavnarine Chanderpaul and you have little to recommend the touring team's current form, which is why Wallace's return has been eagerly welcomed by the touring team's management. Then we might find Junior Murray brought back to the side as an extra lower-order batsman and Carl Hooper doubling as the spinner.

While Hansie Cronje and several other members of the South African side started arriving in Durban yesterday, and a Christmas Day net planned, Lara and Marshall cancelled their first pre-test session yesterday morning. The tourists have two straight choices should they opt for the Wallace/Williams partnership to open the innings: Lambert or Floyd Reifer. Frankly Reifer is not worth is place in even a fourth form side let alone a test team battling to keep the series alive and a life support unit in close attendance. He looked uncomfortable against moderate South Africa A bowling and, as he did not face Lance Klusener in the second innings, was not under genuine pressure on the last afternoon.

South Africa have become more disciplined during each session of the series, the bowling is well organised and the batting, despite some moderate performances has been that much better than anything the tourists have managed so far.

The way Cronje and Bob Woolmer, the coach, have re-organised South Africa since the tour of England shows that the side has emerged as a strong unit than it was 12 months ago.

There is the view that David Terbrugge has provided the consistency needed to add an important ingredient missing in the pace attack in England after Lance Klusener's injury. Whether this theory is fact rather than fiction still has to be worked out. And only a revival of class Windies batting form is capable of putting this claim on trial.

And no doubt Cronje will not put his wicket at risk again this series by being run out twice without knowing where the ball has gone.

Teams

South Africa (from): Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Hansie Cronje, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Pat Symcox, Gary Boucher Allan Donald, David Terbrugge, Paul Adams.

West Indies (possible): Philo Wallace, Clayton Lambert, Brian Lara (captain), Shavnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Junior Murray, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Franklyn Rose, Rawl Lewis.

Umpires: Dave Orchard and Russell Tiffin (Zim)
TV: Rudi Koertzen

TV: SABC 1 and DSTV