DateLine: 1st February 2007
The South African cricket selectors revealed their likely World Cup hand when they announced a 15-man squad for a five-match, one-day international series against Pakistan starting at Centurion Sunday. The squad included seven black players, meeting the World Cup target announced by Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola in February 2005. No mention was made of the target by Cricket SA in a statement announcing the squad for the Pakistan series. Selection convener Haroon Lorgat said: "We are confident in our one-day squad and have therefore retained the players that have performed for us over the past two seasons." Thirteen of the players, including five black cricketers, were generally regarded as automatic choices. The remaining two places went to Loots Bosman and Roger Telemachus. Lorgat said the final 15-man squad for the World Cup in the West Indies would be announced on February 15, the day after the Pakistan series ends. But South African coach Mickey Arthur has said he wants to use the Pakistan series, South Africa's last before the World Cup, as a dress rehearsal. Changes therefore are unlikely before the final squad is named. Bosman, 29, a hard-hitting opening batsman, and seam bowler Telemachus, 33, could both be regarded as marginal choices. Bosman, who has played in seven one-day internationals with modest success, was picked as an extra batsman ahead of the experienced Boeta Dippenaar, who was man of the series when South Africa won a one-day series against the West Indies in the Caribbean two seasons ago, form player Morne van Wyk and fellow black players Alviro Petersen and JP Duminy. Telemachus, 33, is renowned as a tough competitor. He has played in 37 one-day internationals and gained the extra bowler's position ahead of in-form fellow black player Alfonso Thomas and white bowlers Dale Steyn and Johan van der Wath. Thomas and Van Wyk were both included in a 12-man squad for a Twenty20 international in Johannesburg Friday, ahead of the one-day series. Leading players Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Andrew Hall and Charl Langeveldt were rested from the Twenty20 match. Batsman Herschelle Gibbs, serving a two-match suspension, is not eligible for the Twenty20 match or the first one-day international. South African squads: One-day internationals: Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis (vice-captain), Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andrè Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince and Roger Telemachus. Twenty20 international: Graeme Smith (captain), Shaun Pollock (vice-captain), Loots Bosman, Gulam Bodi, AB de Villiers, Justin Kemp, Albie Morkel, Robin Peterson, Roger Telemachus, Alfonso Thomas, Johan van der Wath and Morne van Wyk.
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