Monday, 29th January 2007 at 10:18 pm

Caribbean holiday, anyone?

It’s all somewhat cloak and dagger, but unofficially, this is how it stands: 13 players have had their passports taken in to be stamped and prepared for a trip to the West Indies. That leaves two players still to be picked for the Cricket World Cup - and with Cricket South Africa having committed to seven black players in the 15-man squad, and only five in the 13 named thus far, it’s two more black players to come. Which leaves the question of who they are…

Educated guesswork would suggest the eight white players are Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, AB De Villiers, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, and either Johan van der Wath, Andre Nel or Boeta Dippenaar, depending on the make-up of the rest of the side. The five black players to date are (one imagines) Makhaya Ntini, Herschelle Gibbs, Robin Peterson, Charl Langeveldt and Ashwell Prince. Which leaves two players - but which two?

The one-day squad for the Pakistan series hasn’t been named yet, but Loots Bosman may well figure. Thandi Tshabalala is widely touted as the brightest of the country’s young spinners. Alfonso Thomas’s name has been muttered quietly in speculation. Roger Telemachus remains the best death bowler in domestic cricket. And then there’s Hashim Amla, who’d no doubt like to think he has a role to play in one-day cricket as well as the Test game. A lot of different players fighting for a minimal number of roles; your comments below, please, on who will - and who should - be on their way to the West Indies.