PAARL – All-rounder Ruan de Swardt has been selected by the Paarl Rocks to replace JP Duminy for the rest of the Mzansi Super League (MSL).
Duminy, ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury suffered in the lead-up to the Paarl Rocks’ opening game, has remained within the team setup in a mentorship role.
A skilful seam bowler and a left-handed batsman, De Swardt is part of the SA Emerging Squad that is due to assemble on Tuesday.
Paarl Rocks coach, Adrian Birrell, said De Swardt would give the team more options.
“With James Vince coming in to strengthen our top order, we needed another all-rounder to balance out the squad,” said Birrell. “Ruan has lots of potential and I’m confident he’ll add some real value in the middle-order and gives us more options in our bowling attack as well.”
De Swardt spend some time with the Paarl Rocks team last week and will join the squad now that final approval has been received from the MSL.
In another setback for the team, Dwaine Pretorius injured his right hand against the Cape Town Blitz on Sunday, but he will remain with the squad.
Birrell said there’s sufficient depth in the squad during this testing time with a number of players like Verreynne, Adams, Mungroo and Ntini ready to step up if required.
The next Paarl Rocks game is at 5.30pm on Wednesday against the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth.