Boeta on standby for Newlands

Boeta Dippenaar has been put on standby to replace Herschelle Gibbs in the South Africa Test squad should the latter's two-Test ban be confirmed by ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner Richie Benaud following Wednesday's appeal hearing.

Gibbs has pleaded guilty to a Code 1 offence of using offensive language, but not to the Code 3 violation of racism. He could still face a suspension for the lesser offence but, if the original verdict stands, then the sentence is likely to be amended in changing circumstances to a ban for one Test plus two limited-overs internationals, according to ICC sources.

Whether the Twenty20 match, which precedes the one-day series between South Africa and Pakistan, would count as one of the ODIs remains to be seen.

Dippenaar has not played a Test since Gibbs was rested for the second and third matches against New Zealand in the middle of last year. He was expected to replace the injured Graeme Smith for the two-match away series in Sri Lanka, but lost out to Andrew Hall when the selectors wanted somebody who could cover for Jacques Kallis, who was also injured at the time, and fill the role of fifth bowler.

Part of the reason for Dippenaar's reprieve is that Eagles colleague Jacques Rudolph, who has been the extra batsman in the Test squad this summer, has been released from his national contract to take up a three-year deal with English county Yorkshire on a kolpak contract.

The decision has been taken with the full support of Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola as well as national selection chief Haroon Lorgat and national coach Mickey Arthur.

It clearly has huge ramifications for the kolpak system, which is coming under increasing fire from England-qualified players as it is costing them professional contracts and reducing the pool from which that country's various representative sides are selected.

"CSA has had in-depth discussions with Jacques on this matter," said Majola. "Eventually all parties agreed with his view that the county experience would make him a better player at this stage of his career. We regard him as one of our national assets.

"However, he is only 25 and the general view is that he will, with this added experience in county conditions, become a more rounded player.

"We wish him all the best and are confident that he will return as an even better cricketer."

From this it is obvious that CSA regard the kolpak system not so much as a threat to take away promising cricketers, but as a way to develop their abilities. They have already followed that route with Paul Harris, who had six months of county cricket with Warwickshire last year before being put into the national squad, and they will no doubt do the same with Rudolph when they feel the time is right.

In the mean time, Lorgat and his fellow selectors have the more important matter on their collective minds of how to rest tired front-line bowlers and still win the Test series against Pakistan.

One decision that has already been taken is that Dale Steyn will replace André Nel.

Steyn resumed bowling on Monday before and after the fourth day's play at St George's Park and is a first choice when fit. He brings the particular talent of being able to knock over tail-enders with his pace and attitude, something that has been spectacularly absent in the series thus far.

What the selectors will do with Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock remains to be seen. It is highly unlikely that they will rest both, given what is at stake.

What may help is that Harris will do more bowling at Newlands, particularly in the second innings, than he would at most other venues.

The state of the pitch will also play a role. A Newlands track similar to that for the India Test would make Pollock an absolute must with his control and effective reverse swing.

Early indications are that the pitch will be more suitable to what the Proteas want. It is rock hard and at the moment has a very healthy green tinge to it. This certainly means that it has a lot more moisture in it than was the case last time out.

If the pitch has pace and bounce, then Ntini must play.