Former coach slams understrength Proteas Test team

In a notable move, Cricket South Africa ultimately put the lucrative SA20 competition ahead of the Test series against New Zealand, with the squad selected notably missing the majority of the Proteas’ big-name players.

The squad – to be captained by Neil Brand – will depart for New Zealand from OR Tambo International Airport on Friday, 19 January, and former coach Mark Boucher told SportsBoom.com that it was an unacceptable schedule clash that has led to this situation.

“I’ll be honest with you. I am extremely disappointed,” Boucher said. “It’s got nothing to do with the players. You can’t blame the players that have been selected or the players that are not going. I think the scheduling needs to be looked at by CSA, I don’t think it’s acceptable.    

“If I was New Zealand Cricket, I’d be quite disappointed. I understand them not wanting to pull out as well because the World Test Championship points are at stake,” he added. “But I do think that we in SA need to sit down, have a hard look at ourselves, at the scheduling, and find a way to make it right.

“SA20 is good for the public watching. It is very well supported, but we can’t have that in place of a Test series against a very, very strong New Zealand team away from home.”

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Proteas Test squad against New Zealand

Neil Brand (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), David Bedingham (Western Province), Ruan de Swardt (North West Dragons), Clyde Fortuin (Gbets Rocks), Zubayr Hamza (DP World Lions), Edward Moore (Western Province), Tshepo Moreki (DP World Lions), Mihlali Mpongwana (Western Province), Duanne Olivier (DP World Lions), Dane Paterson (Western Province), Keegan Petersen (Gbets Rocks), Dane Piedt (ITEC Knights), Raynard van Tonder (North West Dragons), Shaun von Berg (Gbets Rocks) and Khaya Zondo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins). 

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TOUR ITINERARY

Warm-up match

29-31 January – 11:00 (NZ time)

New Zealand XI v South Africa – Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University  

Test series

4-8 February – 11:00 (NZ time)

New Zealand v South Africa – Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui 

13-17 February – 11:00 (NZ time)  

New Zealand v South Africa – Seddon Park, Hamilton 

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