No image available
/ 23 May 2008

Andre Nel back in SA Test squad

Andre Nel is back in the Proteas Test squad for the four-match cricket series against England, to be played in July and August. Cricket South Africa selection committee convener Joubert Strydom on Friday announced a squad of 15 that consists of Nel plus the 14 players who did duty on the recent tour of India.

No image available
/ 16 April 2008

Proteas turn attention to England

After one of the most successful seasons since unification, the Proteas have a few weeks off before gearing up for one of the toughest assignments on the cricket calendar — a tour of England. The two-month tour of England includes four Tests, one Twenty20 clash and five one-day internationals, as well several warm-up games.

No image available
/ 28 March 2008

Charl Langeveldt is in denial

Who do Andre Nel’s supporters think he is? A better bowler than Charl Langeveldt, or perhaps in some other way superior? Or are they labouring under the falsehood that Nel is an Englishman, an Australian or a Sri Lankan, or a citizen of some other country whose cricket authorities have not committed themselves to racial transformation?

No image available
/ 25 March 2008

Smith confident SA can ‘do the job’

South Africa captain Graeme Smith on Tuesday voiced confidence his team can ”do the job” against India despite arriving with only 13 players. The tourists have been badly hit by the race selection row while left-arm spinner Robin Peterson has delayed his arrival due to personal reasons. The three-Test series starts on Wednesday.

No image available
/ 22 March 2008

Smith: We can rise to the challenge

South Africa are confident they will put their selection problems behind them during Test series in India, skipper Graeme Smith said on Saturday. The tourists arrived for the three-Test series amid a storm or controversy following the omission of paceman Andre Nel to fulfil the team’s quota of black players.

No image available
/ 21 March 2008

Majola: Transformation is about targets

The adverse publicity surrounding the selection of the Proteas is a matter of concern to all cricket lovers, Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola said on Friday. Speaking at OR Tambo Airport ahead of the Proteas’ departure for a three-Test tour of India, Majola said it was disappointing that cricket was hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons.

No image available
/ 19 March 2008

Monde in as selection row continues

Monde Zondeki was on Wednesday named as the replacement for fellow fast bowler Charl Langeveldt as the controversy over South Africa’s selection policy continued. Andre Nel, who was controversially left out for Langeveldt to conform with Cricket South Africa’s transformation policy, was again overlooked.

No image available
/ 19 March 2008

Langeveldt pulls out of India tour

South Africa fast bowler Charl Langeveldt withdrew on Tuesday from next month’s tour to India after his selection had caused controversy. Langeveldt, who is black, was included in the squad earlier this month ahead of the white Andre Nel in accordance with Cricket South Africa’s racial transformation policy.

No image available
/ 14 March 2008

Dale Steyn has arrived

Dale Steyn used to be a well-scrubbed bloke who wore a goofy grin that wobbled harmlessly under starry, starry eyes. He was polite and cheerful, and he could bowl a bit. He probably never said ”Well, golly gee.” But if he did, we would have chuckled heartily and ruffled his hair as if the lot of us were in a Spur commercial.

No image available
/ 13 March 2008

Nel urged not to make hasty decisions

The chief executive of South Africa’s players’ association on Thursday urged axed fast bowler Andre Nel not to make a decision regarding his future in the heat of the moment. Nel was a controversial omission when South Africa’s squad for three Tests in India next month was announced on Tuesday.

No image available
/ 12 March 2008

Nel, De Villiers guide Proteas to victory

Fiery paceman Andre Nel took 4-27 to set up South Africa’s comprehensive seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international (ODI) against Bangladesh on Wednesday. The victory helped South Africa take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and moved them one step closer to reclaiming the world number one spot from Australia.

No image available
/ 12 March 2008

Weary Bangladesh slump against SA

Roqibul Hassan and Shakib Al Hasan hit half centuries as a struggling Bangladesh reached 173 for all wickets in 48.2 overs in the second one-day international against South Africa on Wednesday. South Africa’s pacer Andre Nel finished for 4-27 and Charl Langeveldt took three for 31 to bundle out the hosts for a paltry score.

No image available
/ 9 March 2008

Smith ton pulverises Bangladesh

Graeme Smith smashed an unbeaten century to guide South Africa to an emphatic nine-wicket win in the first one-day international against Bangladesh on Sunday. Smith hit 14 fours and a six in his 118-ball 103 as South Africa surpassed the victory target of 178 with as many as 13.1 overs to spare in a lop-sided contest at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium.

No image available
/ 7 March 2008

SA wary of Bangladesh backlash

South Africa will look to their fringe players to deliver the goods against an unpredictable Bangladesh in the one-day international series beginning in Chittagong on Sunday. The South Africans have rested key players Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini for the three one-dayers.

No image available
/ 3 March 2008

SA bowlers earn fearsome reputation

South Africa’s bowlers are fast earning a bloody reputation of injuring rival batsmen after the latest incident, involving Bangladesh’s Aftab Ahmed, in the second Test. Ahmed was left with a bloodied cheekbone after a short ball from Jacques Kallis bounced through his helmet grille and hit him just below the right eye.

No image available
/ 28 February 2008

Proteas rest Kallis, Boucher and Ntini for one-dayers

Senior players Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini will be rested for South Africa’s limited-overs series against Bangladesh, team officials said on Thursday. Captain Graeme Smith will, however, lead the side in the three-match series starting in Chittagong on March 9, despite speculation that he would return home due to a nagging knee injury.

No image available
/ 26 February 2008

SA quicks impress in Bangladesh

The new generation of South African quicks look all set to establish themselves among the world’s best after their impressive show in unhelpful conditions in Bangladesh. The fastest bowler in the side, Dale Steyn, and comeback man Morne Morkel have a tough job of slipping into the shoes of their illustrious countrymen, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.

No image available
/ 16 February 2008

Arendse, Majola bury the hatchet

Cricket South Africa (CSA) President Norman Arendse and chief executive Gerald Majola officially buried the hatchet on Friday, after a week of turmoil in South African cricket. The two men issued a joint statement in which, among other things, they apologised to the people of South Africa for the row.

No image available
/ 12 February 2008

Troubled times for SA cricket

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Monday announced the team that Proteas coach Mickey Arthur and the national selectors wanted, but the dispute in South African cricket is far from over. The team announced after a week’s delay resulting from the bitter row between Arthur and CSA president Norman Arendse was the one that Arendse had twice vetoed.

No image available
/ 11 February 2008

Row over as Proteas touring squad named

South Africa announced their squad to tour Bangladesh on Monday after a week of disagreements among the country’s cricket officials. The squad, which is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on Wednesday, was due to have been named last Tuesday. Disputes between the selectors and the president of Cricket South Africa, Norman Arendse, held up the process.

No image available
/ 8 February 2008

Cricket row to be handled internally

The row over selection issues that has erupted between Proteas coach Mickey Arthur and Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Norman Arendse is to be handled internally. CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said on Friday that the CSA had formal human-resource procedures for dealing with disputes.

No image available
/ 7 February 2008

Row delays naming of SA squad

Disagreement between South Africa’s selectors and administrators has delayed naming the squad to tour Bangladesh this month. The list of players was due to be decided on Tuesday but the announcement was deferred after Cricket South Africa president Norman Arendse refused to approve the selectors’ decision.

No image available
/ 2 February 2008

Pollock bids Durban farewell

AB de Villiers struck a confident 77 while Shaun Pollock bid an emotional home town farewell as South Africa beat the West Indies by five wickets at Kingsmead on Friday to maintain a perfect record in the one-day series. Pollock delighted a capacity crowd by hitting the winning boundary to seal South Africa’s win.

No image available
/ 17 January 2008

Polly gets set for farewell series

Shaun Pollock said he didn’t want his final round of international matches to be a ”Polly parade” but it is inevitable that South Africa’s star all-rounder will be feted as he makes his last appearances at the country’s major grounds during a five-match one-day international series against the West Indies, which starts at Centurion on Sunday.