No one came down with an injury of any kind and, in-deed, their dwindling stocks were boosted by the arrival of Dave Mohammed, the Trinidadian left-arm wrist spinner.

He is the first of the replacements for the three of their number eliminated from the tour of South Africa virtually before it had started.

Dwayne Smith, the second substitute, is expected to follow today while the selectors are still mulling over their options for the third.

In addition, Vasbert Drakes and Corey Collymore, whose own slight ailments had been carefully and understandably managed, were reported fit and ready to participate today in a virtual, day-long dress rehearsal for Friday's first Test at Centurion Park, just under an hour's drive from Johannesburg and venue for the final Test.

Team manager Ricky Skerritt said it would be a closed session, with no entry for curious spectators, local media or possible opposition informers.

"It'll be in the middle, in a match simulation, and we don't want any distractions," he said.

It should be a final guide for captain Brian Lara, vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan and coach Gus Logie, the tour selectors, to decide on the eleven for the Test.

The only questions surround the composition of the bowling. The batting, even with its continuing inconsistency, picks itself.

In the two Tests in Zimbabwe last month, the West Indies were handicapped by the injuries that put Jerome Taylor out of the first Test - and, ultimately, the tour - after 9.4 overs and Fidel Edwards out of the second after 11 overs.

So depleted, they allowed Zimbabwe to convert their first innings from 154 for five in the first Test to 507 for nine declared and 31 for three and 201 for five in the second to 377.

When backed into a corner by their batsmen, whose collapse left Zimbabwe a manageable 233 to win the second Test, the bowlers, even minus Edwards, responded by dismissing them for 109.

Significantly, Omari Banks, the off-spinner who replaced Drakes from the first Test, accounted for three of the wickets.

Banks heads back to the Caribbean tomorrow for the three months rest needed to heal the stress fracture of his lower back. Different as he is, Mohammed is now the only available spinner.

The South Africans have already revealed their hand with the exclusion from their 14 of the long-serving Paul Adams who, like Mohammed, purveys his left-arm spin from the back of the hand - and, with his contorted action, back of the head.

The consensus among those who should know is that Robin Peterson, a left-armer in the orthodox style and the only spinner in their squad, will be omitted.

That leaves an all-pace attack of Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, the big fast bowler who toured the Caribbean in 2001, and all-rounder Andrew Hall.

If the West Indies follow suit, the combination would be Merv Dillon, Edwards, Drakes and Collymore.

While a bold selection, Mohammed would certainly present something different to the South Africans whose limitations against wrist spin are well documented, most recently by the Pakistani Danesh Kaneria in their series in October.

If he shows in the session at Centurion today that encouraging reports of his bowling in Trinidad trials are not exaggerated, he might just be the surprise choice the South Africans are not expecting and may not be prepared for.

They themselves have some decisions to make about their batting order following the veteran left-hander Gary Kirsten's fashionable preference to be with his wife at the expected birth of their first child over the weekend rather than appearing in his 96th Test. It was a choice made by Pollock who missed a Test in England last summer for the same reason.

Most of Kirsten's career has been spent as opener but, with new, young captain Graeme Smith taking that position, he slipped to No. 3 in England.

In his absence, there is need for some shuffling.

Any one of Jacques Kallis, who is no stranger to the position but has settled at No.4, Martin van Jaarsveld or the left-handed Jacques Rudolph is expected to go one down.

Given that it is the festive season, it would seem appropriate for Rudolph to get the preference. Sometimes selectors, whatever their nationality, seem to be driven by such whims.