Neil McKenzie's superstitions may be eccentric but he is an increasingly reassuring presence in the South African Dressing-room, as Geoofrey Dean reports.

There is a natural calm about Neil McKenzie. Nothing seems to faze him, apart perhaps from his now celebrated cricketing superstitions. Even they are being tempered by the 26-year-old from Johannesburg, who is regarded in South Africa as the natural successor to Shaun Pollock as captain. He admits he would love to do the job at some stage, although for the moment all he is concerned with is scoring runs and regaining his place in the national one-day side, which he lost in Australia.

As a Test batsman of pedigree, McKenzie has already established himself. He began the home series with Australia averaging just over 36, but the feeling is that he is far too good a player not to finish his Test career with an average in excess of 40. Initial concerns over his ability to play top-class spin have been allayed and his skill against pace, particulary off the back foot, has never been in question.

Even the australians were impressed by his mental toughness. Shane Warne had picked him out before the First Test at Adelaide in December as his potentioal 'bunny' in the absences of Daryll Cullinan, but McKenzie's outstanding 87 in 218 mimutes in the first innings put a stop to that nonsense. 'Jeez, he played well,' Warne admitted with typical candour at the end of that day's play.

That Adelaide innings was a source of delight and disappointment for McKenzie. In his first Test against Australioa, he had proved to himself that he was good enough in the highest company; equally, he had missed a wonderful opportunity to make a third Test hundred. 'It was the only time in four tests that we got on top of them," he reflected shortly after the three-day capitulation to the same opponents in the Johannesburg Test.

McKenzie and Mark boucher, having come together at 214 fro 6, had batted for half a day, adding 141 in 45 overs, when McKenzie was lbw to Damien Martyn's occasional medium pace. 'Martyn being on was a victory in itself,' said McKenzie. "But I just lost a bit of concentration and should never have got out to him'.

It was still a superb effort, in which McKenzie demonstrated what a strong driver and puller he is. He followed it in the Second Test on a bouncy Melbourne pitch with an even longer innings, 67 in 22 minutes, giving notice to the Australians that his wa a wicket they would have to earn.

In Johannesburg, in the First Test of the return series, McKenzie stood alone on the burning deck when South Africa were skittled for 133 in 38.3 overs in the second innings, He was undefeated on 27 as the last nine wickets fell in the space of just 15 overs. 'Apart from that stand in Adelaide, the Aussies just haven't allowed us to play,' he said. 'After they made 650-odd, we were always going to be under horrendous pressure. They bowled very well and we were uncertain. What you need against then is a big team effort: all 11 have to be pulling their weight. Everything needs to be in order. You need stability and a good support base. We are a unique cricketing country and we have to pull together and get everyone backing us."

On the eve of the Second Test in Cape Town, Cullinan staged his infamous walkout, plunging the South African team into the same disarray that followed Hansie Cronje's sacking. Despite Boucher's misgivings about the captaincy in the absence of the injured Shaun Pollock following the Johannesburg humiliation, he agreed to lead the side again, but many knowledgeable observers were calling for McKenzie to be blooded as captain.

From a young age, McKenzie has been earmarked as a leader. 'I've captained most of the sides I've been in,' he says, having skippered South Africa trhough the age groups, including their first Under-19 tour to England. By the age of 23, hew was captaining his adopted province, Northerns, although unavailability prevented him from continuing in the role.

'I love to captain,' he says. 'For a start, the days go past a bit quicker. I like to stay in the game and try to help out whoever is in charge, whether it be Shaun or Mark. I like to examine someone like Steve Waugh's captaincy and make mental notes of situations: what I would do; what he did; would I have done the same? I admire his whole approach: he goes out with a really positive demeanour. He gets the players' respect and backs them up.'

McKenzie pays tribute to cronje's leadership skills: 'I think Hansie was a top captain. he really got the best out of players. My approach is that I try to be myself and be as honest and up front as I can.'

Having a cricketing father has been a huge help for Neil. Kevin played for South Africa in the 1980's against rebel touring sides and was a national selector when Neil was a teenager. 'He resigned as soon as I got into the Transvaal B side,' said Neil. 'He coached me when I was younger and he loves to talk cricket. It's nice to have him around as he's been there and knows the pressures I go through. He came over to Australia for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests as he has alot of mates there.'

Making up triumvirate of celebraties within the McKenzie family is sister Megan, an international model. 'She's a sporty person, a good golfer, but she doesn't like to practice,' Neil reveals. 'She comes and watches international cricket. In fact when I'm feilding on the boundrary I keep getting asked "where's your sister?"'

McKenzie senior used to have various rituals in his playing days, which helps to explain why Neil became such a superstitious cricketer at a young age. Much the most bizarre is his instistence taht all the toilet seats in the dressing-room must be down when he goes out to bat. 'I don't know where that one comes from, but it's all to do with neatness,' Neil mused. 'I have to pad up in a specific way, it makes me feel more confident if everything is in order. Out in the middle, I don't like to step on the pooping-crease, so i have to jump over it.'

There are many other superstitions which he keeps quiet about, but one of the more extraordinaary ones arose after some team mates played a practical jokes by taping his bat to the dressing-room ceiling one night. The next day, McKenzie, having finally found the bat, went out and scored a hundred and promptly insisted that the same bat wherever possible be taped to the dressing-room ceiling every night before an innings.

These days, though, McKenzie's mind is clear. In what are likely to become increasingly turbulent times for South Afriucan cricket, his diplomacy and leadership, not to mention his