It would be extremely unfortunate not least because he has had two previous tours shortened by injury.Which leaves two other 21-year-olds, Paul Adams and Mark Boucher. Adams seems to have been around for years, mainly because he has. Liebenberg, from the Free State, was on the country's previous tour to England in 1994 as deputy wicketkepeer. This time he is here as a batsman and the opener in possession, having made his debut against Sri Lanka. As those who saw him make 98 against Worcestershire on Thursday can testify, he strikes the ball firmly.Telemachus bowls with with zip and would have been likely to make the one-day side.
"He can swing the ball and since he started so late he can be taught good habits. This is going to be a real learning experience for him but when he puts it in the right places more frequently then he could pose problems."Ntini's progress will be watched no less keenly than that of Mornantu Hayward, known back home in Eastern Province as Nantie. He began playing the game barely four years ago and immediately revealed the most potent bowling weapon of all."He's quick, he's strong and he's willing to learn," Woolmer said. The real reason for optimism lies in the machine which gauged him a few months ago: it measured his speed at 95mph.Two of the others of little international experience, Gerhardus Liebenberg and Roger Telemachus, are slightly older at 26 and 25, which at least demonstrates that South Africa do not exempt those who take a little more time to develop. "He's raw and quick and at the moment I'm comparing him with Donald only in terms of possible pace.
Donald is a truly great bowler and Hayward is some way off that but being here and watching at close quarters gives him a real opportunity after he did well for the A team against West Indies."Hayward has already appeared in 21 first-class matches, which, to play an old tune, he almost certainly would not have done in England. Hayward, 21, also has raw pace and Woolmer harbours realistic but reluctantly expressed hopes that he may one day fill Allan Donald's formidable shoes. Conchita Martinez ended Anna Kournikova's run at the German Open yesterday, routing the nervous teenager in straight sets to reach the final in Berlin. Martinez swept through the first set in just 19 minutes in the battle of generations, slowing down the pace with soft shots and slices to win 6-0, 6-1 against Kournikova, the 16-year-old Russian who had beaten the top seed Martina Hingis and Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario to reach the semi-finals.
