South Africa name weakened squad to face Black Caps

South Africa have named an uncapped captain in a stripped-down test squad to face the Black Caps with the two matches clashing with their own domestic Twenty20 competition, leaving most of their regular side unavailable for the tour.

The two-test series in February is one of the drawcard events of the New Zealand Cricket home summer schedule as the Black Caps seek to win their first-ever test series over the Proteas.

Uncapped opening batsman Neil Brand has been named captain while the entire bowling attack that led the side to a Boxing Day test win over India this week won’t come to New Zealand. The 14-man squad features seven uncapped players with the most experienced player Duanne Olivier, with 15 tests to his name.

From the current test squad, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger, Wiaan Mulder, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj are missing, while veteran Dean Elgar retires after the current India series.

Only Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham and Zubayr Hamza are currently playing in the India series. 37-year-old spin bowler Shaun von Berg could make his test debut, five and a half years after being named in the squad to face Sri Lanka but didn’t make the starting XI.

The second edition of the SA20 will run from January 11 to February 11 next year, while the tour to New Zealand begins with a warm-up match on January 29. The test series begins with the first test on February 4 at the Bay Oval, with the second test taking place in Hamilton nine days later.

Cricket South Africa has previously confirmed the SA20 league will be the priority for its centrally contracted-players.

“Protea players in the SA20 will not be going to New Zealand and that is a directive from CSA,” Pholetsi Moseki, the CSA CEO, told ESPNcricinfo earlier this year.

“But our plans are on track. The auction will be the next milestone and Shukri [Conrad, the Test coach] will then determine player availability for the tour.”

South African cricket commentator Neil Manthorp told The Country Sport Breakfast in August it shows a lack of respect for test cricket.

“It’s crushing. We laugh about the Ashes, which was supposedly signifying the death of test cricket in England, way back in the 1880s. I’m trying desperately hard to see a way that South Africa can get out of this. It is only two test matches but it’s a mess.

“South Africa have test cricketers or first-class cricketers all over the world. There’s a good dozen playing in New Zealand, who have pledged their allegiance to New Zealand. There’s another 20 or so playing county cricket in England who have, who have not been available for South Africa. So they, they can put together a decent team. But it’s the message, it’s the image. It’s the lack of respect for what’s always been the greatest format of the game,” Manthorpe added.

The Black Caps have never won a test series against South Africa home or away.

South Africa Test squad: Neil Brand (capt), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin (wk), Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg, Khaya Zondo.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission