Daily Times

CAPE TOWN: Keeping the 2019 World Cup in view speedster Dale Steyn, who last played a One-Day International back in 2016, has been named in South Africa’s 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Friday. Steyn’s recurring injuries have kept him out of the game for long stretches but the pacer, now fully fit, has made his intentions to play an active role in South Africa’s 2019 World Cup campaign quite clear. South Africa have also handed a maiden ODI call-up to Christiaan Jonker. The 31-year-old batsman has an impressive List A record and looked good in the lone Twenty20 International he was part of earlier this year against India where he scored 49.

“The selection of Christiaan Jonker is part of the ongoing process of our Vision 2019,” said CSA National Selection Panel (NSP) convener Linda Zondi. “He had an outstanding debut in the T20 format against India and we want to see whether he can convert that finishing form into the longer white-ball format as well.” Imran Tahir, who was rested for the Sri Lanka series, has been brought back into the side along with Khaya Zondo. Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock and David Miller, who quit first-class cricket earlier this week, have been rested with the selectors wanting to try out a variety of options ahead of the World Cup next year. Faf du Plessis has been named the captain of both the ODI and T20I squads but his availability will be subject to him being fit. Du Plessis had suffered a shoulder injury during South Africa’s tour to Sri Lanka and has been making a steady recovery since. “Faf continues to make a recovery from the shoulder injury he suffered in Sri Lanka,” commented Dr. Mohammed Moosajee, the South African manager and team doctor. “It is a week by week case and a call will be made in
due course.”

On recalling batsman Zondo, who had a good campaign with South Africa A in India recently, Zondi commented. “We have also recalled Khaya Zondo to the ODI squad as another part of the pool broadening process. He had an outstanding quadrangular series for SA A in India against high-quality opposition, scoring our only century and having a strike rate of 95. “We still have ODI series after this one against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as we get closer to finalising our likely World Cup squad.” South Africa will host Zimbabwe for three ODIs which will be played between September 30 to October 6. That will be followed by the three-match T20I series from October 9 through to October 14. The T20I squad sees two new faces in Rassie van der Dussen and Gihahn Cloete, while pacer Kagiso Rabada has been given a rest from the T20I squad with a view to managing his workload. “We are resting Kagiso Rabada from the T20 Series as he has a very busy season ahead of them,” said Zondi.

ODI squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Khaya Zondo

T20I squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Gihahn Cloete, Junior Dala, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Robbie Frylinck, Imran Tahir, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Lungisani Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

Tour itinerary:

September 30: 1st ODI, Diamond Oval, Kimberley (Day)

October 3: 2nd ODI, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein (D/N)

October 6: 3rd ODI, Eurolux Boland Park, Paarl (D/N)

October 9: 1st T20I, Buffalo Park, East London (D/N)

October 12: 2nd T20I, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom (D/N)

October 14: 3rd T20I, Willowmoore Park, Benoni (Day).

Published in Daily Times, September 15^th 2018.