South Africa Call Up Kleinveldt And Elgar For ODIs

South Africa Call Up Kleinveldt And Elgar For ODIs

Rory Kleinveldt (right) here captaining South Africa at the Hong Kong Sixes, has been called up to the ODI squad for the first two matches against Sri Lanka

©REUTERS / Action Images

South Africa have named uncapped players Dean Elgar and Rory Kleinveldt in their 14-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka.

David Miller and Imran Tahir make way for the introduction of Elgar and Kleinveldt while the only other change sees fit-again captain AB de Villiers return as Mark Boucher loses his place.

De Villiers missed the series against Australia with a finger injury and is yet to lead the side since his appointment as limited overs captain.

Kleinveldt has played two Twenty20 Internationals for the Proteas, including during the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 2010 in the West Indies.

"There have been a number of batsmen showing good form in domestic cricket,” Andrew Hudson, Cricket South Africa selection convener, said.

"Elgar fully deserves his opportunity. He was the leading runs scorer in the 1-Day Cup and also had the best average. In addition he gives us very useful bowling options as a left-arm spinner.

“Kleinveldt played an important role with the ball in helping the Cobras to win the 1-Day Cup and he also has a lot of potential as a lower order power hitter.

“We feel we won’t need three frontline spinners in South African conditions, so it makes sense to change the bowling balance of the squad slightly."

The series gets underway on 11th January in Paarl and the second game is in East London on 14th January.

South Africa ODI squad: AB de Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla (vice-captain), Johan Botha, JP Duminy, Francois du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Jacques Kallis, Rory Kleinveldt, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe

© Cricket World 2011