Safs in a spin over quality tweakers

The greater problem, however, concerns the spinners, over whom the selectors can’t find agreement.

Off-spinner Derek Crookes, who last played an active role in Safs colours as a spare parts net bowler during World Cup ’99, is being touted by new coach Ray Jennings as a partner for Nicky Boje. The feeling is that the left-arm of Boje and off-spin of Crookes will go some way in challenging India.

Boje, though, has not indicated, as has Gibbs, his views of the India tour. He wanted to clear all the so-called ‘‘grey areas’’ of his alleged involvement. Unlike Gibbs, however, who was caught up in Cronje’s web of deceit, Boje has strongly denied involvement.

Omar Henry, convener of the South African selection panel, has admitted to a division in the thinking regarding the selection of the spinners for India. Robin Petersen, also left-arm, has failed to impress in Sri Lanka and Paul Adams has not been successful during four subcontinent tours.

‘‘We are still looking at our options’’, Henry said. ‘‘We still have a couple of SuperSport Series rounds to play and we will be looking very closely at such bowlers as Crookes, Petersen and may be even consider Jacques Rudolph.’’

Rudolph is a leg-spinner and made an early name for himself as a leg-spinner at the Youth World Cup in 1998 but his ability was wrecked by Shane Warne’s guru Terry Jenner in 2001, under whose guidance he spent six weeks. He has been used sparingly in Tests and is now more in the Sanath Jayasuriya all-rounder mould than a genuine all-rounder.

The highly-talented left-hand batsman bowled a few overs during the Test series against Sri Lanka, but this was more of a holding job to give the fast bowlers a rest. He is now struggling with a back injury as a result of his bowling.

Boje’s five wickets this South African season have been at an expensive 40.80 while Crookes and Petersen fail to feature among the wicket-takers. Adding to this worry is the fact that Rudolph has the best average of the spinners. The other problem facing South Africa is that pitches this early in the season do not help the spinners.

‘‘Finding spin bowlers has been a serious problem for South Africa for almost a century’’, Henry admits. ‘‘Hugh Tayfield was a bowler who used flight and guile and we have had no one of his ability. The nearest was leg-spinner Denys Hobson, but we are looking at twenty-five years since his retirement.’’

Jennings, however, is from the South African school that does not believe in spin bowlers, and here he is trying to muster support for a bowler, namely Crookes, who lacks form and an ability to take wickets.