The early arrival of off-spinner Johan Botha to join the South African cricket tour may lead to a call-up for next week’s final Test against Australia in Sydney.
Botha (23) is a member of the Proteas’ squad for next month’s triangular one-day series with Australia and Sri Lanka and has yet to play Test cricket.
Paceman Makhaya Ntini injured a medial ligament in his left knee during the third day’s play and will take no further part in the second Melbourne Test leading to speculation that he may be in doubt for the Sydney Test.
”I’m not sure whether I’m going to be considered for the Test, or whether I’m just going for the one-dayers,” Botha said in South Africa on Wednesday.
”But it’s interesting that I’m going to Australia at this stage,” he said.
”It will be quite a challenge to walk into the series if I play in Sydney. But I’m not daunted — this is the kind of thing you dream about as a kid.”
The Sydney Cricket Ground has a reputation as a spinner’s wicket and Australia are expected to play leg-spinners Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill in the January 2-6 Test.
Botha could partner left-arm spinner Nicky Boje in Sydney.
”Yes, he [Botha] will be in our one-day squad but he’s coming over a little earlier,” South Africa’s chairperson of selectors Haroon Lorgat told Australian Associated Press here on Thursday.
”He’s the young kid on the block and we thought we’d give him a chance.
”He will arrive in the next day or two. We’ll look at our options for the next Test.”
Australia had the edge in the hard-fought second Test heading into the fourth day after the first Perth Test was drawn. – Sapa-AFP