WP cricket selection committee comprising Goolam Allie, Arthur Turner, joint coaches Vinnie Barnes and Eric Simons and captain HD Ackerman(if available) face a daunting task on Monday morning when they meet to select the team for the pre-season tour of North West and Northerns starting on 18 September.

After national team and national club championship call-ups the selectors only have ten contracted players available for the pre-season tour. Added to this Neil Johnson will only return to Cape Town in the last week in September. Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Claude Henderson and now captain HD Ackerman are in Zimbabwe. Ashwell Prince, Antonio Mullins and JP Duminy have been released to represent Victoria in the national club championships which runs from 18-24 September in Pretoria. Lloyd Ferreira and Alan Dawson are doubtful starters due to work and personal commitments.

However, the absence of key players presents an opportunity for fringe players to give the selectors notice of their early form. Included in this catogory are batters Graeme Smith, Rashaad Magiet, Andrew Puttick, Jonathan Maclean, Renier Munnik and Thami Tsolekile. On the bowling front contracted players available for the tour are Paul Harris, Charl Willouby, Roger Telemachus and Paul Adams.

The team is expected to be announced on Monday.

The full WP pre-season itinerary is:

18 September - depart for Johannesburg

19 September - nets and middle practice

20-22 September - 3 day match against North West at Benoni

24 September - nets at Supersport Park

25-27 September - 3 day match against Northerns at Supersport Park

Western Province start their defence of the Supersport Series title with an unaccustomed early home match against Easterns at Newlands from 4-7 October.

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