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<p><strong>Cricket South Africa announce squad for Sri Lanka series - Cricket News Update</strong></p>
<p>Cricket South Africa on Tuesday announced its 13-member squad for the first Test of the three-match home series against Sri Lanka, commencing on December 15 in Centurion, with Graeme Smith retained as the captain.</p>
<p>Promising batsman Alviro Petersen, who was dropped for the two-Test series against Australia last month, has been recalled in to the squad. Petersen had lost his place in favour of top-order batsman Jacques Rudolph, but the 30-year-old Transvaal opening
batsman failed to impress with the bat in the drawn Test series. Rudolph could compile a tally of just 86 runs in four innings at an average of 21.50 and a top score of 30.</p>
<p>Whilst Rudolph failed to impress the selectors, Petersen continued his good form in the first class cricket. With a tally of 441 first class runs at an average of 55.12, Petersen stands at number two on Cricket South Africa’s domestic rankings.</p>
<p>Others who were part of the Australia series but failed to make a cut for the first Test against Sri Lanka include Lonwabo Tsotsobe, JP Duminy and Paul Harris.</p>
<p>The 21-year-old uncapped pacer, Marchant de Lange, who has played just 14 first-class matches so far, has also been included in the squad for the series opener. However, the fast bowler from the citrus farming town Tzaneen north of Pretoria, is unlikely
to make the playing XI at the Centurion as he is nursing a thumb injury. The injury also ruled De Lange out of the South African Invitation XI squad for the three-day tour game against Sri Lanka starting in Benoni this Friday.</p>
<p>"There is some doubt about whether he will recover in time from his thumb injury but, even if that is the case, he will learn a great deal just from being part of the national squad environment," said the CSA convenor of selectors, Andrew Hudson.</p>
<p>The rookie speedster might be short on experience but his ability to deliver at over 145kmh from a relatively short run-up earned him the selectors' nod. He was also part of the South Africa A squad that had played a tour game against Australia last month
and returned with an impressive figures of 5 for 56.</p>
<p><strong>South African Test squad:</strong> Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers (vice-capt), Jacques Rudolph, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wkt), Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, Alviro Petersen, Marchant
de Lange <br>
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<strong>South African Invitation XI:</strong> Thami Tsolekile (capt, wkt), Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Dean Elgar, Paul Harris, Reeza Hendricks, Pumelela Matshikwe, Rilee Rossouw, Stiaan van Zyl, Hardus Viljoen, David Wiese. </p>
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