CSA name ICC Champions' Trophy squad
CRICKET South Africa on Wednesday named the provisional squad of 30 players for the ICC Champions’ Trophy tournament to be played in September.
The tournament brings together the top eight teams on the Reliance Mobile ODI rankings with the Proteas being grouped together with England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The other group consists of the defending champions, Australia, plus India, Pakistan and the West Indies. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the semi-final round.
The significant feature of the squad, which will be cut to 15 before the start of the tournament, is the inclusion of four uncapped players. They are the Nashua Dolphins left-arm seamer Yusuf Abdullah, big-hitting Nashua Cape Cobras all-rounder Rory Kleinveldt, Nashua Dolphins all-rounder Johann Louw, recently named as the SA Cricketers’ Association’s Most Valuable Player at the Mutual & Federal South African Cricket awards banquet, and Nashua Titans seamer Ethy Mbhalati.
“They are all players who have done well in domestic cricket in both forms of the limited overs game,” commented selection chief Joubert Strydom, “and they are talents we have identified who will play important roles in South African cricket going forward.
“The rest of the squad is made up of tried and tested players who have represented South Africa with distinction over the past year. We have every confidence in them to bring a major ICC trophy home.”
Gerald Majola, CSA CEO, said: “Since winning the inaugural version of this event in 1998, the Proteas have not featured to their full potential in international tournaments.
“This is something that CSA and the Proteas Team Management have been addressing and we are confident of providing a formidable challenge this time.
“The Proteas are rated one of the best limited overs teams in world cricket, and this will be a motivating factor for the Proteas at this tournament”.
Provisional squad: Yusuf Abdullah (Nashua Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Nashua Dolphins), Goolam Bodi (Nashua Titans), Loots Bosman (Gestetner Diamond Eagles), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Herschelle Gibbs (Nashua Cape Cobras), Paul Harris (Nashua Titans), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Johann Louw (Nashua Dolphins), Ethy Mbhalati (Nashua Titans), Neil McKenzie (bizhub Highveld Lions), Albie Morkel (Nashua Titans), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Andre Nel (bizhub Highveld Lions), Makhaya Ntini (Chevrolet Warriors), Justin Ontong (Nashua Cape Cobras), Robin Peterson (Chevrolet Warriors), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Vernon Philander (Nashua Cape Cobras), Ashwell Prince (Chevrolet Warriors), Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Alfonso Thomas (Nashua Titans), Thandi Tshabalala (Gestetner Diamond Eagles), Morne van Wyk (Gestetner Diamond Eagles), Monde Zondeki (Nashua Cape Cobras).
