<p><strong>South Africa should go in with a specialist wicketkeeper, believes Michael Holding – Cricket News Update</strong></p>
<p>Michael Holding, the former West Indies fast bowler, is of the opinion that South Africa should go in with a specialist wicketkeeper in the Test series against England, which commences on Thursday at the Oval.</p>
<p>The all-important battle is much awaited all around the world, with the number one Test ranking at stake. The two teams are evenly balanced in all the departments of the game, calling for a fascinating competition.</p>
<p>The Proteas faced a massive blow before the start of the series, losing their ace wicketkeeper Mark Boucher through a terrible eye-injury, which turned out to be a career ending one for the legendary cricketer.</p>
<p>The selectors have drafted Thami Tsolekile in the squad as the replacement but the middle-order batsman, AB de Villiers, is likely to take the responsibility behind the stumps.</p>
<p>Holding, who is currently working for Sky Sports as a commentator, believes that the visitors should opt for a specialist keeper but also urged Tsolekile to contribute with the bat, if he hopes to take Boucher’s place in the team, who had five Test centuries
under his belt.</p>
<p>“I would think that perhaps the South Africans are thinking about getting the specialist keeper into the side. However if they are going to opt for the specialist wicket keeper then they need to make sure that Tsolekile can provide support to the top 6 with
the bat, because Mark Boucher added a lot to the South African batting,” the former great expressed while talking to
<em>Pakpassion.</em></p>
<p>One of the prime reasons why the former fast bowler is opposing the job to be given to De Villiers is that the right-hander is South Africa’s premier batsman, and keeping for long periods may hamper his progress with the bat.</p>
<p>However, Graeme Smith and company will be looking to boost their batting strength by playing an additional batsman, which is possible only if the 28-year-old keeps wickets, and Holding agrees.</p>
<p>He added, “De Villiers would be a risk behind the stumps in my opinion and one that the South Africans would only take if they planned to bring in another batsman against a strong England bowling attack.”</p>
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