For the first time, the selectors of the province's top cricket team have chosen a player on the express orders of the Natal cricket executive and Ashraf Mall, who represented Natal Schools in 1996, will make his senior debut in the SuperSport Series match against Western Province starting at Newlands on Friday.

Mall, a 20-year-old left-handed batsman, has been in fine form for Natal B this season, but his selection comes after the KZNCU executive insisted on a player of colour being chosen now that Natal have no chance of winning the premier domestic title.

The United Cricket Board are expected to request provinces to extend their race quota to their senior teams next season and Graham Ford, Natal's director of playing affairs, said the time was now right to introduce Mall. ``Ashraf has made a lot of runs for Natal B and if he is going to be tossed in the deep end next season anyway, it will be better for him in the long run to be blooded now,'' Ford said on Monday.

The executive wisely did not insist Mall was chosen for the pressure-filled day/night game against Northerns at Kingsmead on Wednesday, and the Natal team for the vital Standard Bank League fixture is unchanged from the one that lost to Western Province on January 31.

Unless Natal can register their first home win of the limited-overs season on Wednesday, they will pay the price of having to win a playoff to book a place in the Standard Bank Cup.

They will look to their batsmen - Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Jon Kent, Errol Stewart and Andrew Hudson in particular - for a much-improved display after their disappointing failures in the frustrating loss to Western Province.

Zingari spinner Craig Tatton, in very good form in club cricket, returns to the Natal team for the four-dayer in Cape Town, but the major focus will certainly be on Mall and what sort of entrance he makes.

Teams

Natal A v Northerns (Kingsmead, Wednesday, SBL):

Andrew Hudson, Doug Watson, Errol Stewart, Mark Bruyns, Jon Kent, Grant Rowley, Wade Wingfield, Kevin Pieterson, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder, Jannie Dreyer, Anthony Botha.

Natal A v Western Province (Newlands, Friday-Monday, SS):

Andrew Hudson, Doug Watson, Errol Stewart, Mark Bruyns, Jon Kent, Ashraf Mall, Wade Wingfield, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder, Jannie Dreyer, Craig Tatton, Robbie Macqueen.

Natal B v North-West (Gert van Rensburg Stadium, Friday-Sunday, UCBB):

Duncan Brown, Grant Rowley, Kyle Bender, Mehmood Badat, Bruce Hughes, Anthony Botha, Linda Zondi, Kevin Pieterson, Faeez Khan, Jonathan Bastow, Rudi de Vry, Warren Gray.