Not the sort to shrug off the demands needed at such a competitive level, Elworthy, or ``Shots'' to his Northerns and Test teammates takes over the role of South Africa's main strike bowler for the ICC knock-out event in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday week.
He stoically accepted the decision by Peter Pollock's national selection panel not to replace the injured Shaun Pollock in a series where, at most South Africa will play three limited-overs internationals. It cuts the squad to 13 with the reasoning behind the UCB policy decision that ``an extra player'' would merely warm the bench and would possibly only be useful as a net bowler.
It also means that Makhaya Ntini now get a second chance to prove himself in the spicy Asian sub-continental cauldron of competition and what is a mini World Cup. For Elworthy, however, it means a chance to show off his skills on the ultra slow surface at the national stadium.
Named Standard Bank Player of the year in the first two consecutive season's of the limited overs series Elworthy was wondering toward the end of March whether he would ever earn a place in the national squad. Now he becomes, with Jacques Kallis and Alan Dawson as part of the front line attack. ``It is nice to know that (national) selectors feel I have the ability to carry the South African attack in such a series,'' he said yesterday. ``I feel sorry for Shaun (Pollock and that he has been forced to withdraw through injury.
``What it does do is place me under pressure to perform and I am confident I can handle such a challenge,'' Elworthy added.
Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board, confirming there would be no replacement for the injured Pollock, said the decision had been made in light of how the tournament was being run.
``We are going into a tournament where the side will be playing three games should they qualify for the final,'' he said. ``It was felt that under the circumstances it would be better to keep the squad at 13.''
Which supports Elworthy's view that the selectors have decided to entrust the Titans all-rounder with the role initially outlined for Pollock in the squad for the Bangladesh tournament.
Pollock said that the injury had not shown up on x-rays and at this stage specialist were undecided was wrong.
``I first hurt myself in Kuala Lumpur and aggravated it during a friendly against Gauteng,'' he said yesterday. ``When I was reduced to a hobble I knew then that something was really wrong.''
Pollock sought specialist advice in Pretoria and had a trial run at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday but was unhappy with the result of the fitness trial.
Strangely, despite intense speculation earlier in the week, most South African newspapers missed the story Pollock had been forced to withdraw; The Star (Johannesburg) and Mercury (Durban) carried an item that his fitness test still to be held while the Cape Times and Daily Despatch (East London) ignored it altogether. along with the national television broadcaster SATV.
In fact SATV have so far cold shouldered the Bangladesh event, concentrating more on the West Indies tour starting near month. They have also placed a blanket ban on carrying results of the Standard Bank domestic series because it being televised by the pay channel M-Net.
There is also doubt whether South Africa's game against England in Dhaka on September 25 will be carried live; a 25 minutes highlight package may be screened after 11pm that night or the next morning.