JOHANNESBURG: Proteas Men’s head coach Shukri Conrad has named a 16-player squad for the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, set to take place at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo from 28 June – 10 July.
Test captain Temba Bavuma will lead the group that includes five uncapped players. Among the new faces are Momentum Multiply Titans batting duo Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Lesego Senokwane, both of whom have received their maiden call-ups to the national setup. They are joined in the squad by another first-timer DP World Lions fast bowler Codi Yusuf.
At just 19, Pretorius enjoyed a breakout season in the CSA 4-Day Series. He struck three hundreds in five first-class games at an impressive average of 72.66, including a crucial 114 in the final that helped secure a hard-fought draw for the Titans against the Lions.
Senokwane also impressed with the bat, amassing 559 runs with two centuries to his name. Both players also recently made their South Africa A (SA ‘A’) debuts against West Indies A.
Yusuf, meanwhile, has been a standout performer for the Lions. The right-arm seamer claimed 23 wickets at an average of 22.39, playing a pivotal role in guiding his side to a second successive appearance in the 4-Day Series final.
The other uncapped players in the list are Titans batter Dewald Brevis, the second-highest run-scorer in the domestic first-class competition this past season, and Hollywoodbets Dolphins off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen, though both have previously toured with the senior side.
Earlier this week, Subrayen’s form was on full display in SA ‘A’s four-day win over West Indies A, where he delivered with both bat and ball, scoring an unbeaten half-century and picking up a five-fer.
The squad also sees the recall of Lions batter Zubayr Hamza, marking his return since his last appearance against New Zealand in February last year.
Several players – Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs – have been rested for the series.
“We’ve opted to rest some players to manage their workload ahead of a busy season,” said Conrad.
“We’ve been closely monitoring performances in domestic cricket, and it’s great to see players like Lhuan-dré, Lesego, and Codi breaking through.
“Dewald deserves a lot of credit for how he has progressed over the past 12 months,” added Conrad.
“He’s shown real growth and maturity in the longer format, and it’s encouraging to see him evolving into a more complete cricketer.
“Prenelan has earned his spot through consistent performances and offers us a lot with his all-round skills.
“This tour provides the ideal platform to expose them to the demands of Test cricket and see how they respond. It’s also our first tour to Zimbabwe since 2014, so we’re really looking forward to heading over there later this month.”
Fast bowling trio Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee and Lizaad Williams were not considered for selection.
“Nandre has been given the all-clear by the medical team to play T20s. The plan is to ease him back into the game, starting with the shortest format, and then slowly work him up to the longer formats. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how he handles the workload as he builds toward playing Test cricket again,” said Conrad.
“With Gerald, it’s part of a bigger plan to help him better handle the physical demands of red-ball cricket. The idea is to give him the best chance to avoid a recurrence of the injuries that have kept him out of Test cricket since the tour against Sri Lanka.
“His recent performances in T20s have been really encouraging, but the focus is on his long-term growth and ensuring he stays fit across all formats.
“Lizaad is progressing well and is currently in the final phase of his rehabilitation from his knee surgery,” concluded Conrad.
South Africa Test Squad against Zimbabwe
Temba Bavuma (captain, DP World Lions), David Bedingham (World Sports Betting Western Province), Matthew Breetzke (Dafabet Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Momentum Multiply Titans), Corbin Bosch (Momentum Multiply Titans), Tony de Zorzi (World Sports Betting Western Province), Zubayr Hamza (DP World Lions), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kwena Maphaka (DP World Lions), Wiaan Mulder (DP World Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Lhuan-dré Pretorius (Momentum Multiply Titans), Lesego Senokwane (Momentum Multiply Titans), Prenelan Subrayen (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kyle Verreynne (World Sports Betting Western Province) and Codi Yusuf (DP World Lions).
Note: The squad will depart for Bulawayo on 24 June from OR Tambo International Airport.
Fixtures
28 June – 02 July at 10:00
Zimbabwe vs South Africa – Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
06 – 10 July at 10:00
Zimbabwe vs South Africa – Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
Source: cricket.co.za
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