Hansie Cronje, captain
Age: 30
One-day internationals: 172
Runs: 4997 (37.85)
Wickets: 106 (34.20)

Just as adept at the one-day game as he is in Test match cricket.

His approach revolves around intimidation, both as a batsman and as a captain.

Will pass 5,000 one-day international runs at a healthy average and with more than 100 wickets with his medium pacers is a vital member of the side.

It is as a leader, however, that Cronje's true worth can be seen.

As a side with the reputation of chokers (they were labelled such even before their astonishing demise in the World Cup semi-final againstAustralia) they will need Cronje's sang froid to keep them together if things start to go wrong.

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Shaun Pollock
Age: 26
One-day internationals: 83
Runs: 1165 (27.73)
Wickets: 118 (23.28)

To have been ranked the No 1 bowler in the world in both Test and one-day cricket at the age of 26 is no mean feat.

Worryingly for England - and for the rest of the world - Pollock is only going to get better over the next few years.

His is more of an allrounder in one-day cricket than he is in the longer version of the game.

Indeed, last year he created a record by doing the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in the fewest games.

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Allan Donald
Age: 33
One-day internationals: 121
Runs: 83 (4.88)
Wickets: 206 (21.04)

Needs no introduction. With over 200 one-day international wickets at a fraction over 21 has reached a level that few fast bowlers have managed.

Has more than made up for the time lost when South Africa were barred from international cricket.

Donald will be determined to make a mark in the series after announcing that these matches will be hist last on the international scene for a year - if not forever.

At 33, he admits he is tiring both physically and mentally, and there are unlikely to be many more one-day appearances from him in the green shirt.

Capable of altering the course of the match in the space of half an over.Has a one-day best of 6-23.

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Gary Kirsten
Age: 32
One-day internationals: 112
Runs: 4044 (40.03)
Wickets: 0

Possibly the least suited of the South Africans to the one-day game but an important member of their side nonetheless.

In a team of talented strokemakers, Kirsten is the foil for all who follow (including his usual opening partner, Herschelle Gibbs).

Has scored over 4,000 runs and holds the highest score by a South African in one-day cricket - indeed the highest individual score in World Cups - 188 not out against the might of the United Arab Emirates, at Rawalpindi, in 1996.

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Jonty Rhodes
Age: 30
One-day internationals: 164
Runs: 3779 (32.02)
Wickets: 0

The dazzling middle-order batsman and backward point-fielder fielder that never ceases to amaze.

Has taken the art of fielding into a different sphere - who can forget the leaping catch to dismiss Robert Croft at short extra cover off a full-blooded cover drive in the Emirates Triangular tournament in 1998?

Scores his runs at a healthy rate, too, and has maintained an average of over 30 despite looking to score runs off every ball towards the end of an innings.

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Jacques Kallis
Age: 24
One-day internationals: 77
Runs: 2550 (40.47)
Wickets: 56 (30.46)

When fit to bowl, he is one of the leading allrounders in world cricket.

Perhaps a little too stodgy with the bat for one so talented, but he makes the most of coming in at the fall of the first wicket, and has scored five centuries in 77 international appearances.

Can be expensive with the ball (going for 4.57 an over) but has a healthy strike-rate of a wicket every 39.90 balls.

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Paul Adams
Age: 22
One-day internationals: 13
Runs: 25 (8.33)
Wickets: 19 (25.19)

Has a bowling style that is not particularly suited to one-day cricket - then again it is not particularly suited to any form of cricket - and has been trusted with only 25 games for South Africa.

When he has played, however, he has done pretty well, averaging only 25.19 runs per wicket and, more significantly, 32.1 balls per wicket, a strike-rate up there with the best of the them.

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Mark Boucher
Age: 23
One-day internationals: 43
Runs: 315 (13.12)
Wickets: 0

Recently broke the world record for 100 Test match dismissals at the youngest age (22) and there is no reason to believe similar records will not fall to the young wicketkeeper in one-day matches to come.

Has perhaps not done as well as he should have done with the bat (averaging 13.12) but, coming in below Klusener and Pollock, there are usually no more than a handful of balls to face before the end of the innings.

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Lance Klusener
Age: 28
One-day internationals: 66
Runs: 1718 (46.43)
Wickets: 95 (26.09)

The axe-man. How many demolition acts will Kluesener have to carry out before his tag of having "lost the World Cup semi-final against Australia with a crazy run-out" is discarded.

Probably it never will be. What is often forgotten, however, is that Klusener was named Man of the World Cup for his match-winning exploits (three in four games) and he had almost won that semi-final against Australia single-handedly before he was involved in the run out with Donald.

The most effective allrounder in world cricket, with a strike-rate of 93.42 with the bat (not to mention an average of over 46) and a strike-rate with the ball of 32.3 per wicket.

Still coming of age, the best may be yet to come (pity the bowlers who suffer).

His century in the Port Elizabeth Test was one of the great innings by a No 7 batsman.

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Herschelle Gibbs
Age: 25
One-day internationals: 39
Runs: 1097 (29.69)
Wickets: 0

Perhaps more at home opening in one-day matches rather than Tests, Gibbs gives balance to the opening partnership with Gary Kirsten.

Some consider him to be a better fielder than Jonty Rhodes (certainly he hits to stumps more often - perhaps because he takes a fraction of a second longer to release the ball).

Patrols midwicket, ensuring there are no quick singles to be had either side of the wicket.

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Steve Elworthy
Age: 34
One-day internationals: 26
Runs: 51 (10.20)
Wickets: 30 (27.30)

A vastly improved medium-fast bowler to the one who disappointed when he was Lancashire's overseas player for a season.

In a team of one-day specialists, he was not even picked for the county's NatWest final - an embarrassment for an overseas player.

Will be the one to step in if Allan Donald is injured or rested - could in fact be picked ahead of the retiring paceman for reasons of experience.

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Alan Dawson
Age: 30
One-day internationals: 3
Runs: 6 (6.00)
Wickets: 5 (26.00)

A late developer, was drafted into the World Cup squad only after the withdrawal of Makhaya Ntini who had been convicted of rape.

Ntini has since been cleared on appeal and Dawson may well lose out as a result but many would consider him to be the more reliable bowler in the one- day game.

Was instrumental in Western Province winning South Africa's domestic first-class league last season.

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Dale Benkenstein
Age: 25
One-day internationals: 14
Runs: 242 (26.88)
Wickets: 0

A talented middle-order batsman, South Africa will have to give him a run in the side at some stage if his reputation as Hansie Cronje's potential successor is to be justified.

Shaun Pollock might have a thing or two to say about who should be the next captain and Benkenstein has yet to prove himself at anything other than provincial level.

However, he is talented and his time will surely come.

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Nicky Boje
Age: 26
One-day internationals: 20
Runs: 74 (14.80)
Wickets: 17 (37.47)

Not one of the many match-winners that make up the South Africa side but can still play an important role as a left-arm spin bowler, particularly if Paul Adams is seen as too risky an option.

Has by no means disgraced himself in the limited-overs opportunities he has been given and another who can contribute with lower-order runs.