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 | |  Saturday, 5 January, 2002, 11:30 GMT Selection row rumbles on  Shaun Pollock: Plenty to think about South African captain Shaun Pollock tried to play down the significance of a pre-match row over team selection following their third heavy Test defeat in Australia. Justin Ontong was given his first Test cap after batsman Jacques Rudolph's inclusion in the team in Sydney was vetoed by Percy Sonn, the president of the United Cricket Board of South Africa. "That's all in the past, that didn't affect the way we played. You walk out that morning, you've got your 11 and that's the 11 you're playing with," said Pollock. But the controversy continues to rumble on in South Africa with government spokesman Graham Abrahams accusing some former players of "crude attempts to shift the balance of power back to those who had gained from apartheid cricket in the past". Ontong's selection was criticised by a number of senior South African cricket figures including Clive Rice, Graeme Pollock - uncle of the current skipper - and Fanie de Villiers.
Rice was quoted by The Citizen newspaper as saying that Ontong had been picked "because he is black, not on merit". But Abrahams accused the critics of contributing to continued "polarisation" of cricket in the country. "Either you become part of the solution in this country, or you remain part of the problem", he added. South Africa lost by 10 wickets in Sydney, despite an improved batting performance in the second innings, but will have a chance of revenge when Australia play three Tests in the republic in February and March. "I think we've learnt a hell of a lot. If you play against a top quality side, it's just like in tennis when you're playing against the number one or the number two, you improve as well. "It's a been a disappointing series, there's no shying away from that. But it's all about moving on and trying to improve," said Pollock. He singled out prolific Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer as the main difference between the sides. "They set the platform for the other guys to come in and play with freedom. "It's obviously in our minds to make sure we get a tactic of getting them out in future." | |
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