Hudson back in Natal squad

Andrew Hudson, Errol Stewart, Eldine Baptiste and Keith Storey return to the Natal cricket squad for their matches this week against Boland and Eastern Province.

Natal begin their Standard Bank Cup campaign against Boland in Paarl on Wednesday and Hudson and Stewart's strokemaking talents will strengthen a batting line-up that stretches to Ross Veenstra at 10 and could have Storey, a thoroughly decent batsman, at 11. The accurate Storey will compete with left-armer Gary Gilder for the final place in the starting line-up.

Gilder has already been named in the XI for the SuperSport Series Super Eights game against Eastern Province at Kingsmead from Friday.

Jon Kent, Kevin Pietersen and Ahmed Amla, who all made runs against England, have been retained in both squads, while Hashim Amla, Duncan Brown and Goolam Bodi have been left out.

Zingari spinner Craig Tatton, who picked up another five-wicket haul in club cricket over the weekend, has been named in the Natal B team to play against North-West B in Potchefstroom from Thursday. He will be one of four spinners in the side - along with offies Robbie Macqueen and Kyle Bender and wrist-spinner Bodi, while African Warriors paceman Jomo Mbili, a Pietermaritzburg schoolboy, will make his first-class debut.

Natal v Boland (Wednesday, Paarl): Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Errol Stewart, Ahmed Amla, Jon Kent, Kevin Pietersen, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra, Keith Storey, Gary Gilder.

Natal v Eastern Province (Friday-Monday, Kingsmead): Doug Watson, Mark Bruyns, Andrew Hudson, Dale Benkenstein (capt), Errol Stewart, Ahmed Amla, Jon Kent, Kevin Pietersen, Eldine Baptiste, Ross Veenstra, Gary Gilder.

Natal B v North-West B (Thursday-Saturday, Potchefstroom): Mark Sanders, Craig Sugden, Wade Wingfield, Ashraf Mall, Duncan Brown, Kyle Bender (capt), Robbie Macqueen, Goolam Bodi, Rudi de Vry, Craig Tatton, Jomo Mbili, Bongani Hlongwane (12th man).