Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Four new faces in Proteas Test squad



South Africa have named four uncapped players in their 15-man Test squad to face England later this month.

Star all-rounder Jacques Kallis is also included in the squad despite not being fully recovered from a fractured rib.

The injury has kept Kallis out of the ongoing one-day international series with England, meaning he is likely to play as a specialist batsman if he is fit for the Centurion test on December 16th.

Opener Imraan Khan and all-rounder Albie Morkel are dropped, with captain Graeme Smith and Morne Morkel returning.

There are also places for uncapped trio Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen and Ryan McLaren, who have all impressed in the ODIs.

Little known Friedel de Wet, who is yet to appear for his country in any form, is included in the squad as well.

"We have chosen an enlarged squad to cover all our options," said selection convener Mike Procter.

"Jacques Kallis is obviously a very big number in our Test side and providing cover for him requires more than one player.

"Alviro Petersen deserves his call-up both for the impressive way he has returned to international cricket and the weight of runs he has made in domestic cricket. He is able to cover all of the top six batting positions.

"Ryan McLaren provides us with an all-rounder if we want to go down that route and we want both Wayne Parnell and Friedel de Wet to work in the national squad set-up."

Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini is braced to make his 100th Test appearance for Proteas in the Centurion match.

Only four other players, Kallis (130), Mark Boucher (125), Shaun Pollock (108) and Gary Kirsten (101), have reached the milestone.

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