McKenzie and Morkel face the axe by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	SWK Ellis, M Morkel, AG Prince, WD Parnell, JA Morkel, I Khan
Event:	Australia in South Africa 2008/09

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DateLine: 11th March 2009

 

Neil McKenzie and Morne Morkel are dropped for the third Test in Cape Town as they pay the price for indifferent form. Ashwell Prince will return to the side as captain to replace the injured Graeme Smith and Prince will also take Smith's role as opener, alongside the Dolphins batsman Imran Khan, who is in line for his Test debut.

 

Albie Morkel has a chance to make his first Test appearance having been retained in the squad, while the uncapped fast bowler Wayne Parnell has also been included. The inclusion of Prince was not a surprise after he missed all three Tests in Australia due to a broken thumb and then failed to win back his place due to the strong form of JP Duminy. However, South Africa did not want to mess with their proven middle order so Prince will be thrust into the unfamiliar opening position.

 

The convenor of selectors, Mike Procter, conceded it was a risky move to play two new openers against an Australian bowling attack that had thrived in the first two Tests. Khan, 24, is coming off a recent century against the Australians in the tour match in Potchefstroom, which swayed the selectors in his favour. With Smith to return after the Cape Town Test, Procter's panel will need to decide which of Prince or Khan will hold his place for the team's next series. South Africa also named a 15-man squad for the two Twenty20 matches against Australia that follow the Tests. The uncapped Yusuf Abdulla and Roelof van der Merwe have been included while Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis will be rested.

 

South Africa Test squad : Ashwell Prince (capt), Imraan Khan, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wk), Paul Harris, Albie Morkel, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Wayne Parnell.

 

South Africa Twenty20 squad : Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Justin Ontong, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Mark Boucher (wk), Johann Louw, Roelof van der Merwe, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha (capt), Dale Steyn, Robin Peterson, Wayne Parnell, Yusuf Abdulla.