Proteas name uncapped trio

Veterans Ntini, Gibbs also included for one-dayers

Last updated: 22nd December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Proteas name uncapped trio

Parnell: Promising

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South Africa have included uncapped trio Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Wayne Parnell and Vaughn van Jaarsveld in a 15-man squad for the limited overs series against Australia in the New Year.

There are also recalls for paceman Makhaya Ntini, who has recovered his best form of late, and batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who was ordered into rehab after failing to observe a curfew on the recent Bangladesh tour.

Left-arm seamer Tsotsobe is already with the Test squad Down Under and will be joined by fellow left-armer and Warriors team-mate Parnell, who rates a top prospect at just 19.

Highveld Lions batsman van Jaarsveld has impressed during the domestic season, scoring 435 runs in seven innings at an average of 72.5.

"The new caps are all young players we have identified as having the potential to take us forward," commented selection convener Mike Procter. "Van Jaarsveld has been the outstanding performer in the MTN Domestic Championship this season with his consistent big-hitting. He is also an outstanding slip fielder.

"Parnell was one of the stand-out performers at this year's ICC under-19 World Cup where he impressed with his maturity in being the leading wicket-taker in the tournament (18) as well as leading South Africa to the final which they were unlucky to lose.

"Tsotsobe has impressed by the manner in which he has settled into the Proteas' squad both on and off the field. His combination of swing and bounce makes him a good wicket-taking prospect," added Procter.

Hashim Amla has also been retained in the squad after standing in with great success for Graeme Smith on the tour of England and for Herschelle Gibbs in the home series against Kenya and Bangladesh.

In his 10 ODIs for South Africa Amla has made 368 runs in nine innings at an average of 52.57 with a strike-rate of 93.40.

The teams will play two Twenty20 matches before a five-match one-day series starting on Friday January 16.

South African squad: Graeme Smith, Johan Botha, Hashim Amla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.