South Africa announces its preliminary World Cup squad
South Africa is the second to announce its 30 member preliminary ICC World Cup squad on Tuesday following http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 who named its squad a day before.
Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Faf-du-Plessis-c1427 of the Titans, Dean Elgar of the Knights, and seamer Ethy Mbhalati of the Titans.
In addition, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jacques-Rudolph-c1619 and all-rounder Johannes van der Wath have also been recalled to the squad after quitting Kolpak deals in the England county championship. Both the players have not been part of the South African national
side for the past few years owing to their ineligibility after signing Kolpak deals in the England county championship, but have now quit for a chance to join the World Cup squad.
Rudolph last took part in an ODI for South Africa in February 2006 and had signed with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Northamptonshire-c824
after quitting the league.
A final squad of 15 for the World Cup will be announced in due course, as will the squad for the Standard Bank ODI series against India. Selectors will have free choice to make a final squad of 15, other
than the 30 member preliminary squad.
Selection convener, Andrew Hudson said that in the start of the season they revealed that the players who have been performing well in domestic cricket will be preferred for the ICC World Cup Squad.
He added that some of the players have really given excellent performances in the MTN 40 which has opened the doors of opportunities for Du Plessis, Vandiar, Mbhalati and Van Wyk among others.
Plessis, who plays for the Titans in domestic cricket, was the highest run-scorer in the recently-concluded MTN40 series, with 567 runs at an average of 81. Elgar, representing the title-winners Knights, averaged 39.57 while Vandiar,
who plays for the Lions, averaged 53.75 at a strike-rate of 122.15. Du Plessis` team-mate Mbhalati also impressed with nine wickets at 22.
The Knights’ captain, Morne van Wyk, a wicketkeeper-batsman, who has joined the squad, played his last ODI in 2007.
The ICC World Cup 2011 will be played in the Subcontinent from February 19th to April 2nd , at Wankhede Stadium in Bombay. South Africa is included in pool ‘B’ which consists of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747, India, England,
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753.
Graeme Smith will lead the South African team as captain in the Test series against India as well as in the 2011World Cup.
Although South Africa has been a strong team, it has never won the World Cup.
The South Africa Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 will be start on December 16th.
PRELIMINARY SQUAD
Top order batsmen: Graeme Smith (Nashua Mobile http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 (Nashua Titans), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions),
Loots Bosman (Nashua Dolphins), Jacques Rudolph (Nashua Titans), http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-van-Wyk-c2025 (Chevrolet Knights) and Jonathan Vandiar (bizhub Highveld Lions).
Middle mix players: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Miller-c53105 (Nashua Dolphins), Colin Ingram (Chevrolet Warriors), Albie Morkel (Nashua Titans), Robin Peterson (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Mark
Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Thami-Tsolekile-c2662 (bizhub Highveld Lions), Faf du Plessis (Nashua Titans), Dean Elgar (Chevrolet Knights) and Heino Kuhn (Nashua Titans).
Bowlers: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ryan-McLaren-c87323
(Chevrolet Knights), Charl Langeveldt (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Rusty Theron (Chevrolet Warriors), http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ethy-Mbhalati-c1424 (Nashua Titans), Roelof van der Merwe (Nashua Titans) and Johannes van der Wath (Chevrolet Knights).
Tags: