Cricket: Wiseman's on-off tour of South Africa finally off

By RICHARD BOOCK

BLOEMFONTEIN - Just 48 hours after initially being ruled out of the New Zealand cricket team's tour of South Africa, Paul Wiseman has been ruled out once again.

In the latest in a curious sequence of events, the injured 30-year-old off-spinner was forced to withdraw from the tour yesterday after failing to sustain what had seemed a big recovery on the eve of the first test.

Central Districts' all-rounder Glen Sulzberger, who was initially named to replace Wiseman only to be downgraded to being on stand-by, was expected to arrive in the Republic overnight.

While Wiseman's tour prospects had appeared dashed late last week, he evidently surprised his own management team with his fitness on Thursday, although how a replacement could have been named before he was completely ruled out remains something of a riddle.

The upshot is that Sulzberger, who played a part in some of the one-day matches in Zimbabwe, is set to rejoin the squad and will be available for the match against Border at Alice on Friday.

Selector Ross Dykes said yesterday that the New Zealand camp had tried everything in their power to improve Wiseman's recovery, without gaining any confidence that he would be available for the second test at Port Elizabeth, starting on November 30.

Since the second and third tests were scheduled back-to-back, Dykes said it was unrealistic for Wiseman to stay on the tour unless he could convince the team's medical staff that he would be ready in time for Port Elizabeth.

"Paul's injured right ankle has continued to improve but, while there is a chance he may have been okay for the second test, it seemed unlikely," Dykes said.

"His fitness was evaluated and it was felt that he was still unlikely to be back in time for the second test."

Trist said Sulzberger received his chance on the back of some good form for New Zealand A on the tour to England.

He said Sulzberger would add a hard-nosed element to the New Zealand mix for the remaining two tests.

"Glen's already got some idea of the culture within the side," Trist said, "and he has impressed a lot of people with his attitude lately, so hopefully he'll slot in smoothly."