SA squad for first Test announced
The South African selectors have announced a 14-man squad for the first Test against the Pakistanis starting at Kingsmead in Durban on December 26. Free State pair Nicky Boje and Boeta Dippenaar return to the side.
Left-arm spinner Boje comes into the Test squad at the expense of Claude Henderson, who was not picked in the starting eleven for either of the recent Tests against Sri Lanka.
Boje has not played Test cricket since South Africa’s poor showing in the first Test against Australia in February but seems certain to make the final eleven.
Another spinning option would have been Robin Peterson, who impressed on the weekend by claiming six Pakistani wickets for 72 runs for SA ‘A’ in the first innings of a tour match.
Convenor of selectors, Omar Henry, noted Peterson’s performance and gave his reasons for selecting Boje ahead of the Eastern Province tweaker.
“We’re delighted with the way Robin is coming on in the longer version of the game but we’ve decided on the safer option of playing Nicky. We’ll just have to be patient when it comes to Robin,” Henry told Sapa.
Dippenaar, who also last played in the Wanderers disaster against Australia earlier in the year, returns to replace the struggling Ashwell Prince.
Henry admitted that SA ‘A’ skipper Daryll Cullinan had been seriously considered for Prince’s place, especially after the veteran batsman made 40 on a difficult wicket against the Pakistanis.
Fast bowler Mornantau Hayward will undergo a fitness test two days before the start of the match and Steve Elworthy has been included in the squad as cover for the Eastern Province quickie.
Border fast bowler, Monde Zondeki, has been included in the squad but Henry made it clear that he would not be considered for the Test side quite yet. Zondeki is in the squad to “continue his learning programme”.
Squad: Shaun Pollock (captain - KZN Dolphins), Mark Boucher (vice-captain - Border Bears), Nicky Boje (Free State Eagles), Boeta Dippenaar (Free State Eagles), Steve Elworthy (Northern Titans), Herschelle Gibbs (Western Province), Andrew Hall (Easterns), Mornantau Hayward (EP Jumbos), Jacques Kallis (Western Province), Gary Kirsten (Western Province), Neil McKenzie (Northern Titans), Makhaya Ntini (Border Bears), Graeme Smith (Western Province), Monde Zondeki (Border Bears).