South Africa pick six uncapped players for first two England Tests

South Africa have named six uncapped players in their squad for the first two Tests against England, including batsman Rassie van der Dussen.

Van der Dussen is yet to make his Test debut but averages 73.77 in 18 ODIs for the Proteas after scoring seven half-centuries in 14 innings.

The 30-year-old also averages 44.39 in 113 first-class matches, having amassed 16 centuries, 41 fifties and 7,370 runs.

Van der Dussen is joined in a 16-man squad for the Boxing Day Test at Centurion and second fixture in Cape Town from January 3 by fellow newbies Dane Paterson, Beuran Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Rudi Second and Peter Malan.

Seam bowlers Paterson and Hendricks boost a pace attack shorn of Lungi Ngidi (hamstring), while opener Malan, wicketkeeper-batsman Second and all-rounder Pretorius will also be eyeing debuts.

Andile Phehlukwayo - who played the last of his four Tests in January 2018 - has been recalled but batsman Theunis de Bruyn has been axed after making just 82 runs in five innings during the 3-0 whitewash in India in October.

Keshav Maharaj is the sole specialist spinner in the group with Dane Piedt, Senuran Muthusamy and George Linde, all of whom toured India, overlooked.

Mark Boucher was recently appointed as South Africa's new head coach, in the same week Graeme Smith was named interim director of cricket.

"The high number of uncapped players coming into the squad is a reflection of our policy to acknowledge players who do well at franchise level and have put their hands up for selection," CSA's independent selector Linda Zondi said.

"Van Der Dussen, who is third on the current four-day batting averages, and Pretorius, who has established himself as the leading all-rounder, are clear examples of this.

"Following the same trend Paterson has been the second leading wicket-taker in four-day cricket this season, including a seven-wicket haul in an innings, and we want to go into the Test series will a full arsenal of fast bowlers who have always provided one of our traditional strengths.

"Beuran Hendricks is also part of this strategy and adds variety to the attack as a left-arm swing bowler.

"Malan has been one of the most consistent runs scorers in franchise cricket for many seasons now and, as a specialist opening batsman, he provides cover for Markram, while Second provides cover in the wicketkeeping department and is a top-order batsman in his own right.

South Africa squad for the first two Tests: Faf du Plessis (captain), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Zubayr Hamza, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second, Rassie van der Dussen

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