THURSDAY, 1030AM:
PETER POLLOCK, convenor of South Africa’s cricket selectors, on Wednesday named a 13-man squad to face Pakistan in the second and third Tests. Out go struggling bats Hershelle Gibbs and Daryll Cullinan, as does Jonty Rhodes. Fit-again skipper Hansie Cronje is back, while spinner Paul “Gogga” Adams and swinger Fanie de Villers also make their return. Making his debut in the national squad is Western Province middle-order batsman HD Ackerman, son of Boland coach HD senior.
Ackerman has had an exceptional season with his bat, cracking out over 1 000 runs in various teams and tournaments, including the SA A squad and the SuperSport Series. Ackerman will want to put on his best performance for his father, who was one of the unluckiest players not to have made the national squad.
The squad:
Hansie Cronje (capt), Gary Kirsten, Adam Bacher, Jacques Kallis, HD Ackerman, Andrew Hudson, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Lance Klusener, Pat Symcox, Allan Donald, Fanie de Villiers, Paul Adams.
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