SuperSport Series: Kwazulu-Natal v Free State Preview

Benkenstein is back to full fitness again after breaking a finger nearly two months ago and, reunited with the coach who made him captain when he was just 22 and then helped him win the double in 1996/97, he is bursting to get back into action following his layoff and is not going to allow his team-mates to perform with anything less than 100% conviction.

From the intensity with which the Natal team trained over the festive season it would appear Benkenstein won't have to try too hard to get his men motivated, but they need to turn that focus into performance out on the field. While very impressed with the excellent work they put in in the nets, Ford said on Thursday ``That counts for nothing. They have got to show that desperation to win out in the middle.''

An added incentive will be to end the recent dominance Free State have enjoyed over the Natalians and, in particular, to gain revenge for last season's debacle in Bloemfontein when Natal were beaten by an innings in two days.

Chris Craven took nine for 52 in that match, but his absence from the Free State attack this weekend, along with Herman Bakkes' and Allan Donald's, does not mean the Natal batsmen can expect an easy time. Pacemen Victor Mpitsang and Chrisjan Vorster have both come on in leaps and bounds since their time at the Plascon Academy last year, while left-arm spinner Nicky Boje has had such a good season that the national selectors have some explaining to do as to why he has been ignored for the Tests against the West Indies.

Even though star batsman Hansie Cronje is joining Donald in taking a break from cricket this weekend, the likes of Gerhardus Liebenberg, Boeta Dippenaar, Boje and Kosie Venter will ensure that the Natal bowlers will be punished if they stray from the disciplined line and length Ford is expecting from them.

Pietermaritzburg's Anthony Botha has been left out of the 12-man Natal squad, off-spinner Robbie MacQueen being preferred to him and his fellow Zingari slow left-armer Craig Tatton. Will the Natal selectors ever settle on their first-choice four-day spinner?

The final place in the XI will be decided this morning with Jon Kent and Wade Wingfield in competition. Although both are principally batsmen, whoever plays will need to do some bowling in support of Lance Klusener, Gary Gilder and Keith Storey.

This weekend's match provides the Natal team with the ideal time to pull together and regain the respect they enjoyed before the disappointing last 18 months. With the succesful Ford/Benkenstein combination back in charge and internationals Jonty Rhodes, Klusener, Benkenstein, Andrew Hudson and Errol Stewart in the line-up, Natal fans are entitled to expect the home side to take it to the visitors in a big way.

Squads

Natal: Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Errol Stewart, Andrew Hudson, Jonty Rhodes, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Lance Klusener, Jon Kent, Robbie MacQueen, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder, Wade Wingfield.

Free State: Gerhardus Liebenberg (capt), Boeta Dippenaar, Morne van Wyk, Jonathan Beukes, Kosie Venter, Nicky Boje, Philip Radley, Johan van der Wath, Chrisjan Vorster, Matthew Hoggard, Victor Mpitsang, Edward Makoenyane (12th man).

TV: 9.30 am CSN.