Much of the Proteas’ World Cup picture is still blank

By now one would have hoped the national selectors would have pretty much drawn up the composition of South Africa’s World Cup squad, and would have just needed to add the colour to their black-and-white outlines, but judging by the 14-man group they announced at the weekend for the ODI series against Sri Lanka and the fact that it is only for the first three matches, part of the picture is clearly still blank.

The Proteas will take 15 players to the World Cup and that extra berth will surely be filled by Hashim Amla, who is being rested for the start of the final series before the global showpiece tournament. But the selectors still don’t know yet whether JP Duminy will be on the plane to England in May because they have not been able to pick him yet because his shoulder is not yet up to the intensity of bowling and fielding demanded at international level.

So all-rounders Wiaan Mulder and Dwaine Pretorius get the chance against Sri Lanka to fight over a place in the top six that may or may not be available at the World Cup.

South Africa’s first-choice bowling attack has been assembled to play Sri Lanka, with Lungi Ngidi back in the squad after injury, but fast bowler Anrich Nortje, also just back in action after ankle surgery, has received a first Proteas call-up and has the chance to claim the extra pace bowler’s spot.

“At the moment you can’t rule anyone out of the World Cup squad yet, we are still fine-tuning and then we will still look at other players for the final two games against Sri Lanka before choosing our final squad. Over the last 18 months we have given a number of players opportunities but we can’t say any of them are definitely out of contention.

“We would have liked to have been in a better position in terms of knowing our selection, but we thought we must definitely have a look at Anrich Nortje and it’s positive that Lungi Ngidi is back. We hope to get JP Duminy back as
well, but we are definitely on the last lap in terms of finalising the squad though,” selection convenor Linda Zondi said.

The absence of Aiden Markram, who has looked in peak form in Test cricket and has one of the best records ever in the domestic 50-over game, and of a top-class white-ball all-rounder in Chris Morris suggests, however, that their hopes of a World Cup place have been all but extinguished.

A day game at the Wanderers on Sunday kicks off the five-match series.

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