Johannesburg - Billed as the Alan Donald versus Michael Atherton show the first test starting on Thursday at The Wanderers loops in the background. A nine over spell between Alan and Michael at Trent Bridge, regarded by some in the know as one of the best bit of test cricket ever, where a suspected glove to Boucher from a short ball sparked off one of the most ferocious fast bowling and one of the most resolute batting displays ever seen in the test arena. That hour of play has given rise to the main battle emerging from the pre test hype.

Not so says Alan Donald, still to prove his fitness for this test, at a press conference after a washed out South African practice. “I walked into Mike in the lift this afternoon and we chatted about having a drink or two. It is only a one on one battle and I am looking forward to it. He (Michael) is playing very well at the moment and it only takes one ball. The eight or nine over spell at Trent Bridge was bowled with the adrenaline pumping and it was the fastest that I have bowled consistently in any one spell. The pace that I was bowling at never really bothers me, if it happens on the day then it happens. The speed gun has never been foremost in my mind. There is more to bowling than breaking speed records.”

Speaking on his fitness Alan indicated that after a short workout the day before, when he was not very confident of playing, he felt that he was ready for the outing. Apart from feeling the effects from the previous few days he came through the session very well. Due to the rain he was unable to bowl in the nets but was on his way to put in a few overs in at the indoor nets. How he feels after that will indicate his fitness for the test. With the South Africans having an outdoor net tomorrow morning Alan will be more in a position to determine if he will last the five days or not.

Alan’s comments on the modern game just typifies the kind of person that he is. “Due to the competitive edge of the game today, teams and team mates just don’t share enough after a days play. Having a drink or two with the opposition has flown out of the window. I don’t see why, on the field you should play the game hard, and everything that happens out there should stay there, but off the field things should be different where you can talk to each other and have a laugh. The feelings however between England and South Africa is very good off the field and that is the way it should be”.

Jacques Kallis will not be doing any bowling during the upcoming test, but with the swelling on his knee going down all the time he is confident that he should be ready by the second test. Not bowling will give him, as it did against Zimbabwe, a lot more concentration while at the crease. South African coach, Graham Ford, however did indicate that without Jacques being able to bowl the choice of a spinner would be more difficult as it would not be easy to leave a spinner out of the side for this test. “If Jacques had been fit enough to bowl the choice of a spinner would have given us the perfect balance”, he said. Tactics had been worked out for the England top order with The Management concentrating on the players in form and not directing their efforts on any one specific player.

The only setback in the England touring party has been the injury to Dean Headley who will be returning to England shortly. His place in the touring party will be taken by Chris Silverwood who is at present in South Africa and has joined the touring party.

The England squad for the this test did not show any surprises with the following 12 being selected; Atherton, Boucher, Hussain, Vaughan, Stewart, Adams, Flintoff, Hamilton, Caddick, Gough, Mullaly, and Tuffnell. It is expected that Vaughan will take up the spinners roll.

The South African team will come from Kirsten, Gibbs, Kallis, Cullinan, Cronje, Rhodes, Pollock, Klusener, Boucher, Donald, Adams and Terbrugge, with Dippenaar doing the 12th man duties. Hayward has been put on standby for Donald.

© CI