Rhodes fails late fitness test.

Centurion - Jonty Rhodes, left out of the third test in Durban, has this morning failed a late fitness test and will be replaced by uncapped Pieter Strydom for the fifth and final test against England starting at Centurion tomorrow 14 January 2000.

Rhodes, who had passed a 75% test during team practice yesterday afternoon, failed a full 100% test this morning when the hamstring niggle caused him enough problems for him to suggest that it would not last the five days of the Test.

Strydom, the Border captain, brought in by the selectors on Friday as cover for Rhodes, will make his debut for South Africa after finishing high on the domestic averages for the past few seasons. Strydom has had an outing against the England tourists, scoring 86 in East London. During the current domestic season he has amassed 485 runs at an average of 69.28, including two centuries and four fifties.

Mornantau Hayward has also been released from the squad to play for Eastern Province this weekend, against Free State in Port Elizabeth.