Terbrugge boosts Gauteng for semifinal

Gauteng have had to reshuffle their side in recent weeks as injuries and other commitments have robbed them of a number of their regulars, but they are expected to be back at full strength by the semifinals of the Standard Bank Cup competition early next month.

Perhaps of greatest encouragement to Gauteng is the news that David Terbrugge will be available for selection, despite incorrect reports that he had suffered a recurrence of the injury that required corrective surgery last season.

Gauteng's bowling attack, in particular, has been weakened in recent weeks through the absence of seamer Terbrugge, an injury to West Indian Kenny Benjamin and the unavailability of captain Clive Eksteen, who is on tour in India.

Terbrugge made a tremendous impact when picked for the national side last season before an ankle injury forced him to withdraw during the Test series. He returned to international action in the one-day arena against England in Bloemfontein in the Standard Bank triangular earlier this summer.

On arriving in Cape Town for the match against England, Terbrugge's new injury was discovered and was erroneously reported as being a recurrence of the tendon damage in his left ankle.

"It had nothing to do with the original injury," said Terbrugge on Sunday. "Instead, it was a stress fracture on one of my toes. It just happened to be on the same foot. The foot had been bruised about 10 days before the England match in Bloemfontein, but I only had it checked out when it started swelling badly."

Terbrugge has not yet resumed bowling, but he has been doing gym work and is confident of being fit for the semifinals of the domestic one-day competition.

"I'll be fine, but I'm wondering whether I'll get into the Gauteng side. They have been performing superbly and what has been reported as being a weakened bowling attack has done particularly well, with guys like Johnson Mafa, Neil Fusedale and Dean Laing all performing brilliantly."

Benjamin is expected to be back in action within the next week after being sidelined with a groin strain and Eksteen, who will only be in India for the Test series, will also return in time to lead the side in the semi-finals.

Also back will be star batsmen Daryll Cullinan, who has retired from one-day cricket, and Kiwi Ken Rutherford, who missed Sunday's match against Griquas at the Wanderers because he was in Ireland on business.