14 October 1998
Pollock out of Wills International Cup
Trevor Chesterfield
In Centurion
South Africa's fast bowling plans for ICC tournament in Bangladesh
were in disarray last night after Shaun Pollock was forced to withdraw
from the side because of a debilitating back injury.
With Allan Donald, Lance Klusener and Roger Telemachus not considered
because of the forced rest and recuperation quarantine, and Steve
Elworthy of the remaining front line bowlers remaining, Pollock's
withdrawal means the side heads for the Indian sub-continent tomorrow
with a decidedly makeshift look.
Pollock (jnr) of the had the unpleasant task last night of telling his
father, Peter, convener of the national selection panel he was giving
the ICC knock-out slog a miss.
Pollock (jnr) admitted he was far from happy with his fitness test at
Kingsmead yesterday and after a chat with Graham Ford, KwaZulu/Natal's
director of player affairs, went in search of Pollock (snr) with the
unpleasant news.
Captain of the gold medal winning side at Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth
Games almost a month ago, the young all-rounder struggled through a
run around the lush green Test arena and then a bowling spell. The
gangly quick bowler pulled up with an ache in his lower back area
before he went to see Ford.
"Treatment to the back injury has not helped and he has not come along
as we had hoped ," said Ford. "I felt that in his longer-term interest
it would be advisable not to bowl at present," Ford said.
"It will mean he can now concentrate on developing his batting and
prepare him for the a return, as a bowler, in the SuperSport Series at
the end of the month.
"He is out of tomorrow's Standard Bank League game against Free State
but we are likely to consider him as a batsman for the North West
match later next week," Ford said last night."
The selectors are expected to announce a replacement today and four
players likely to be considered are Free State's Herman Bakkes, who
toured Sri Lanka with some success and has experience of bowling on
sub-continental pitches, Mornantau Hayward and either Rudi Bryson or
Meyrick Pringle.
Hansie Cronje knows Bakkes and could persuade the selectors to give
hard-working Free State fast bowler a chance. It is going to be
interesting choice.
Source :: Trevor Chesterfield, Pretoria News