/ 2 November 2005

Gibbs, Boje dropped from one-day line-up

South Africa dropped Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje on Tuesday from their final two one-day internationals against New Zealand.

Team management wants to play their replacements for this month’s tour of India. Gibbs and Boje withdrew from the tour on Monday because they may be arrested in India on match-fixing charges.

All-rounders Andrew Hall and Albie Morkel will replace them. That would leave the South Africans without a spin-bowling option ahead of the trip to India.

”Ideally, we need to slot in our replacements now, redefine roles in the absence of the two established players and ready ourselves for India,” South Africa selector Haroon Lorgat said.

Gibbs and Boje were implicated in a scandal that broke in 2000, centred on former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje. Gibbs acknowledged his role and was suspended for six months, but Boje was only the subject of unspecified allegations by Indian police.

South Africa lead the five-match series against New Zealand 3-0 ahead of Friday’s game in Durban and Sunday’s in Centurion. — Sapa-AP

South Africa squad

Graeme Smith (captain), Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Albie Morkel, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Jacques Rudolph.