Cape Cobras duo Pieter Malan and Dane Paterson are in line to make their Proteas Test debut against England.
Top-order batsman Malan and paceman Paterson were two of six uncapped players named in new coach Mark Boucher’s squad for the two-Test contest with the Boxing Day Test at Centurion and the New Year’s clash at Newlands.
Cape-born left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks, Lions batsman Rassie van der Dussen and allrounder Dwaine Pretorius, while Warriors wicketkeeper/batsman Rudi Second have all been included in the Proteas squad which will assemble for a training camp this week.
The injured duo of speedster Lungi Ngidi and allrounder Wiaan Mulder were not considered.
PACE ACE: Cape yster Dane Peterson. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/BackpagePix.
CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi says: “The high number of uncapped players coming into the squad is a reflection of our policy to acknowledge players who do well at franchise level and have put their hands up for selection.
“Van der Dussen, who is third on the current four-day batting averages, and Pretorius, who has established himself as the leading allrounder, are clear examples of this.
“Following the same trend, Paterson has been the second leading wicket-taker in four-day cricket this season, including a seven-wicket haul in an innings, and we want to go into the Test series will a full arsenal of fast bowlers who have always provided one of our traditional strengths.”
The lads are batting first in our first warm-up match in South Africa 🏴🏏
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 17, 2019
Live Scorecard: https://t.co/bnWAYo3vpp pic.twitter.com/XpXkqd0A8r
Meanwhile, England begin their preparations on Tuesday with a two-day warm-up match against a South Africa XI in Benoni.
Proteas Test squad:
Faf du Plessis (captain), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Pieter Malan, Aiden Markram, Zubayr Hamza, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second, Rassie van der Dussen.