Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday named Kyle Abbott of the Sunfoil Dolphins as a replacement seam bowler for injured fast bowler Morne Morkel in the Proteas Castle Lager squad for the final Sunfoil test match against Pakistan to be played at SuperSport Park from Friday.
Rory Kleinveldt of the Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras will replace Morkel in the starting line-up with Abbott providing cover if necessary. If he is not selected he will be released to play for his franchise in the weekend’s RAM SLAM T20 Challenge matches.
The remainder of the Castle Lager test squad is unchanged.
“We did consider Lonwabo Tsotsobe but unfortunately he is still recovering from an ankle injury and will only be fit in time for the limited overs segment of the tour,” commented CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson.
“Kyle has done extremely well in the Sunfoil Series this season. He had an outstanding match return of 12/96 against the champion Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras and finished the series as the leading wicket-taker (49) and with the second best average (15.36) and an economy rate that was substantially under three to the over.
“He swings the ball nicely and is another player who has earned a call-up through outstanding form at franchise level.”
Proteas Castle Lager test squad: Graeme Smith (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras, capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Hashim Amla (Sunfoil Dolphins), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), Faf du Plessis (Nashua Titans), Dean Elgar (Chevrolet Knights), Jacques Kallis (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Robin Peterson (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Vernon Philander (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Jacques Rudolph (Nashua Titans), Dale Steyn (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras).