Allan Donald's international one-day career has been terminated by the desire of South Africa's selectors to drive through their youth policy leading up to the 2003 World Cup. The fast bowler had hoped to play in the forthcoming triangular series against England and Zimbabwe but he was told yesterday by the convener of selectors Rushdi Magiet: "You are no longer part of our thoughts."
His omission follows his decision over the weekend to fulfil his contract with Warwickshire rather than make himself available for the home and away series of revenge matches between South Africa and Australia, which are scheduled for April and August. The selectors have decided that anyone not available for the matches against Australia will not be considered for the triangular series.
The move by the selectors may yet have a bearing on whether he recants his decision, also announced over the weekend, not to tour India next month. He had intended taking a sabbatical and picking up his Test career against New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the next South African season. But with his tally of Test wickets only 10 away from the landmark 300 he craves, he may now take the view that he cannot afford to leave the door open for young pretenders such as Nantie Hayward and David Terbrugge.
Meanwhile, the third day of the final Test was washed out. Not a ball has been bowled since play finished early on Friday and there have been only 45 overs in all. Rain has fallen almost incessantly, quagmiring the playing area, and although it stopped long enough for the captains, Nasser Hussain and Hansie Cronje, to go to the ground and squelch around, it was apparent that neither wanted a start. A downpour arrived on cue and spared them a decision.
The washout has cost the Northern Cricket Union dearly, just as it did four years ago when the inaugural Test at Centurion was abandoned after two days. "We will be losing £80,000 on the bottom line against a projected profit of £160,000," said the NCU president David Harrison yesterday. "It is a catastrophe."
