TUESDAY, 11.00AM:
TWENTY-two year-old Boland fast bowler Charl Langeveldt was on Monday dropped from the SA A team to play West Indies A in a mini-test in Bloemfontein next week due to injury, just hours after his selection for the squad.
The young affirmative action prodigy makes way for Border all-rounder Piet Botha who, at 30, must be past his sell-by date. The incident recalls the debacle surrounding fellow Boland seamer Roger Telemachus, who was to be the first black player in the national squad until he was withdrawn from the Australian tour due to a stomach injury.
Commentators are questioning the purpose of the A squad, which has seen a number of other confusing choices:
Northerns’ in-form seamer Fanie de Villers was overlooked, while Westerns’ paceman Brett Schultz replaces Natal lefty Gary Glider. Schultz finds himself back in favour after retiring from three national tours due to injury.
Clive Eksteen and Derek Crookes, two spinners who are both pushing 30, have also been included in the squad while yonug lefty spinners Nicky Boje (Free State) and Claude Henderson (Boland) were left out.
The team:
Dale Benkenstein (Ntl, capt), Gerhardus Liebenberg (FS), Doug Watson (Ntl), Neil McKenzie (Gau), HD Ackerman (WP), Nic Pothas (Gau), Derek Crookes (Gau), Clive Eksteen (Gau), Mornantau Hayward (EP), Piet Botha (Bdr), Brett Schultz (WP). 12thman: Ashwell Prince (WP). Coach: Duncan Fletcher.