Kallis doubtful for first Test

Jacques Kallis is rated as only 50-50 to make the first Test against England at Centurion Park as he continues a slow recovery from the fractured rib that ruled him out of the one-day series. However, on a more positive note for the home side, Dale Steyn is progressing well after his hamstring strain which he picked up in the third ODI at Port Elizabeth.

Mike Procter, the convenor of selectors, is confident that Steyn will be ready to lead the attack in nine days but admitted the outlook isn't so positive for Kallis raising further questions as to how South Africa will balance their side for the opening encounter.

"Dale should be okay, but with Jacques we aren't quite sure yet. Things are progressing well, but on the conservative side I would say 50-50 is a fair call," Procter told Cricinfo. "It's a nasty injury he picked up."

When Kallis was initially ruled out of the one-dayers it was suggested that he would be considered as a specialist batsman if the injury hadn't cleared up in time for the first Test. However, Procter said that wouldn't be considered with the risks of aggravating the problem too great.

"With a cracked rib it's either right or it isn't, there isn't really anything in between like with a side strain where you may be able to get away with it by not bowling," he said. "It affects his batting as well and I think he has to be a 100% fit. We wouldn't want to jeopardise his chances by doing further damage to him with three more Tests in the series."

Kallis and Steyn will be assessed when the South Africans join up in Potchefstroom for a three-day training camp on Friday and if Kallis is ruled out a decision will need to be taken over how to cover for both his batting and bowling. In the one-dayers they went along the extra bowler route which worked at Cape Town when AB de Villiers blazed a hundred, but failed spectacularly at Port Elizabeth when they were blown away for 119 - a collapse that cost them the series.

So early in a four-match contest it seems highly unlikely that South Africa would gamble on weakening the batting even though they have included Ryan McLaren as a potential all-round option. Both he and Mark Boucher were batting one place too high in the one-day series which means Alviro Petersen is shaping up as a Test debutant. Petersen was impressive in coloured clothes as he notched three half centuries but would have huge shoes to fill.

"Jacques is a massive player and it will be great to have him there," he told the Sunday Times. "If I am required to play I'll make sure I'm as ready as possible."

While South Africa's headaches will revolve around replacing Kallis, at least it is appearing as though they won't have to concern themselves with also covering for their strike bowler. "He [Steyn] is coming along nicely," Procter said. "He and Jacques are both crucial to us, but Dale isn't looking like too much of a concern."

Steyn's recovery would mean even less chance of Friedel de Wet, the Lions quick bowler, making a debut. De Wet was the most surprising name in South Africa's 15-man squad, but with Wayne Parnell and Morne Morkel vying to support Steyn and Makhaya Ntini in the pace ranks he will have to wait a while. However, he showed impressive form in the most recent round of Supersport games with match figures of 6 for 76 against the Titans.

"In camps like this what we try and do is get guys in who haven't been around before to come so if they are called up it's not like going in totally cold," Procter said. "It's a good chance to allow Graeme Smith and Mickey [Arthur] a chance to have a look at them.

"He had a good season last year and I've seen him bowl recently on some pretty flat tracks at East London and at Johannesburg so he's a player worth looking at and we'll see what comes out of it."