Ryan Rickelton has been in fine form in limited-overs cricket, but has been overlooked by the Proteas for their ODI series against England. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
The Proteas will go into their crucial one-day series against England without the top three run-scorers in this season’s domestic 50-over competition, and Ryan Rickelton, in particular, must feel like a really unwanted man at national level.
South Africa’s 16-man squad for the three matches against England was announced on Wednesday and Rassie van der Dussen is back in, replacing Rilee Rossouw, but there is no room for Rickelton, while Tristan Stubbs has been dropped and Tony de Zorzi also ignored.
Van der Dussen has been in superb ODI form, averaging 79 last year at a strike-rate of 100. Janneman Malan, however, has retained his place despite averaging just 24 in a dozen matches last year, at a strike-rate of 68.
Rickelton, who convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang confirmed on Wednesday was eligible for selection as a top-order batter, scored 452 runs at an average of 64 and a strike-rate of 103 to top the charts in the One-Day Cup, won by his team, Central Gauteng Lions.
The exciting Stubbs, who is yet to play an ODI but was part of the squad that lost in India in October, was second with 361 runs at an average of 60 and a strike-rate of 97. De Zorzi, a top-order player like Rickelton and Malan, was third with 360 runs at an average of 51 and a strike-rate of 98.
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“Ryan has performed really well over the last few summers and he is an opening batsman with good numbers,” Mpitsang said. “But we just could not get him into a 16-man squad.
“We’ve definitely had conversations with him though about the plan going forward and the West Indies series. Because we’re playing at home, the medical staff say his ankle is not as high a risk and he is eligible.”
Other changes to the squad see Sisanda Magala, who continues to justify his standing as one of the premier white-ball bowlers in the country, replacing Andile Phehlukwayo, while the in-form Bjorn Fortuin has been left out as South Africa will go into the series with just two frontline spinners.
With South Africa having opted out of a series against Australia to instead concentrate on making the SA20 a commercial success, they need to win the series against world champions England to maintain their hopes of automatic qualification for the World Cup later this year.
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“It is a very important series and we have a well-balanced squad, with good experience so we can make sure we have a strong base,” Mpitsang said. “We need to win a minimum of four games against the England and Netherlands to ensure qualification.”
Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Tabraiz Shamsi, Marco Jansen, Janneman Malan.
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