TWENTY-year-old ANDILE Phehlukwayo and Dwaine Pretorius will be the latest all-rounders to audition for that coveted role in South Africa’s One-Day International line-up in the upcoming matches against Ireland and Australia.
The Proteas have been yearning for a player that is equally adept with ball and bat ever since the retirement of Jacques Kallis, and going back even further to the likes of Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Andrew Hall. There is a desperate need for that all-round cricketer, who can claim wickets with his seam bowling, but also provide valuable runs lower down the order.
Although the Proteas came from 2-0 behind to beat England the last time these two teams met in an ODI series, it was clear then and now going forward to see the advantage the English and others have over the opposition due to possessing players that contribute effectively in both disciplines all the way down to No 10. Incumbent all-rounders Chris Morris and Wayne Parnell have held onto their places after the disaster in the Triangular series in the West Indies during the winter, but the call-ups for the uncapped duo from the Dolphins and Highveld Lions respectively clearly indicate the need to spread the net wider.
Phehlukwayo has been selected for both the one-off match against the Irish and five-match series against world champions Australia, while Pretorious and his fellow Lions teammate Temba Bavuma will only be considered for the Ireland clash in Benoni on September 25.
David Miller also finds himself back in favour after missing the trip to the Caribbean. The powerful left-hander was dropped to down to the South Africa A side, where he responded in just the way the selectors had wanted him to. Instead of the Indian Premier League superstar sitting and sulking about being sent to Townsville, he knuckled down and topped the run-scorers list with 332 runs at the impressive average of 110.66. Importantly, he also closed out a game – an attribute for long lacking when playing for the Proteas a level up – when he struck an undefeated 124 in a big run chase against the Australia’s National Performance Squad.
Performances on the South Africa A trip were carefully considered, with Phehlukwayo’s race to top of the wicket-takers list on that tour especially proving critical in his selection.
“Andile was our leading wicket-taker for South Africa A in the recently concluded quadrangular series in Australia,” Zondi said, “and he has been knocking on the door for some time following his strong performances in last season’s Momentum One-Day Cup.
“Both he and Dwaine have shown excellent form recently and the same applies to David Miller who topped the batting averages in Australia for the South Africa A squad with the outstanding figures of 332 runs at an average of 110 with a strike rate of 93. It remains our practice to reward players who do well at franchise and South Africa A level.
“As far as Temba Bavuma is concerned we want to see what he can do in the ODI format after the extremely successful run he has had in the Test squad where he has averaged 66 during the current calendar year.”
With all the new faces around it is almost easy to pass over the return of a couple of big-name Proteas to the ODI line-up. Captain AB de Villiers returns after sitting out the recent New Zealand Test series and will look to get back among the runs after a quiet series in the Caribbean. De Villiers could only muster 121 runs in six innings at a below-par average of 24.20 – his lowest in 10 ODI series.
However, if there is anything to learn from history, then De Villiers is set to take out his frustration against the Aussies, especially as he averaged 107.50 in a triangular involving the world champions back in 2014 after his last slump.
Dale Steyn will also return to the ODI line-up after being instructed to “rest” while the Proteas were in the Caribbean, and the fast bowler is certainly champing at the bit to get stuck into his favoured opposition again.
With all the movement between the squads it has allowed senior players like Hashim Amla and -spinner Imran Tahir to sit out the Ireland match before returning for the much-anticipated Australian series. Kyle Abbott and Tabrais Shamzi are also only being considered for the matchups with the Aussies. The inclusion of chinaman slow bowler Shamzi is particularly crucial as he could form a potent spin trio with Tahir and Aaron Phangiso in a bid to expose the Aussies’ fallibilities when facing quality spin.
PROTEAS 13-MAN SQUAD FOR IRELAND SERIES
AB de Villiers (capt), Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada
PROTEAS 16-MAN SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA SERIES
AB de Villiers (capt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn
Independent Media