BRIDGETOWN, April 20: South Africa captain Graeme Smith has hinted that fast bowler Shaun Pollock will not play in the third Test against West Indies starting in Bridgetown on Thursday. “It would be great to have him in the side but we need to decide whether he can bowl 25 overs a day,” Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
“It’s not about ability or anything else with Shaun, it’s about whether he can last five days.”
Pollock has missed South Africa’s last four Test matches and three One-day Internationals because of chronic inflammation in his left ankle.
“The way we have been thinking is that to play him in the fourth Test would be ideal,” Smith said.
South Africa’s other selection poser concerns batsman Jacques Rudolph, who has scored just 39 runs in four innings in the series.
Rudolph withdrew from a tour match against a University of the West Indies vice-chancellor’s XI at the weekend because of an injured back, and Boeta Dippenaar, his likely replacement, scored 184 runs.
“His back is doing well, but we’ll make that selection call tomorrow,” Smith said.
South Africa go into Thursday’s match 1-0 up in the four-match series following their eight-wicket win in the second Test in Port of Spain.
Smith said South Africans understood that more grass than usual would be left on the Kensington Oval pitch, which is regarded as the fastest surface in the Caribbean.
“I think they (West Indies) will be aggressive, especially if the rumours we have heard about the pitch are true,” Smith said.
A win in the third Test would give the visitors their fourth straight series victory over West Indies
Ideally, West Indies would also desire a win, but would settle for a draw to avoid another setback on a ground that was once their fortress.
If the hosts found run scoring hard in the first two Tests, Pollock’s presence will make the task that much more difficult.
Pollock has admitted he may need a little time for the rust to wear away, and has left the decision strictly up to the team’s management to decide if he would be an asset, or a liability.
“My ankle feels better with every ball I bowl, but it’s not my decision,” Pollock said on Tuesday.
“There isn’t much I can accomplish in the two days before the Test, except for the selectors to be able to see me bowl and that might ease the decision they have to make.
“I believe I can last an entire match, so I’m hoping the guys put their confidence in me.”
Pollock is also aware of the importance of the match. The South Africans have not won a road tour, since their 2-0 win over Bangladesh two years ago.
“It is important that we win the series, and so we do not want to put too much pressure on ourselves going into the last Test,” he said.
For the West Indies, the selection questions seem straightforward.
Left-hand slow bowling all-rounder Ryan Hinds and fast bowler Fidel Edwards should replace the out-of-favour Donovon Pagon and the injured Pedro Collins respectively.
Edwards is confident that the home team can rebound from their defeat and level the series.
“I have come to take wickets because that’s my job,” he said.
The two teams have met twice at the Kensington Oval. West Indies won the inaugural Test 13 years ago, but had to rely on some unsportsmanlike tactics to avoid defeat five years ago.
Teams (from):
WEST INDIES: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Courtney Browne (vice-captain), Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Daren Powell, Reon King, Fidel Edwards, Dwight Washington.
SOUTH AFRICA: Graeme Smith (captain), Nicky Boje (vice-captain), Mark Boucher, Abraham de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph, Monde Zondeki.
Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand) and Simon Taufel (Australia). TV umpire: Billy Doctrove (West Indies). Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).—Agencies
