RETURN OF THE GERALD Gerald Coetzee returns to the Proteas squad after he recovered from a hamstring injury which had ruled him out of playing in the SA20 for most of the last month. Picture: AFP
Image: AFP
Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee on Wednesday was included and later withdrawn in a complicated Proteas squad to do duty in the tri-nation One-Day International (ODI)series against hosts Pakistan and New Zealand starting on Saturday.
The squad is a bit difficult to understand though as it will start off with just a dozen players, before more are added later on Wednesday and then again at the end of the week.
There had been a massive injury cloud hanging over Coetzee after he was ruled out of the SA20 with a hamstring problem, after just one game with the Joburg Super Kings on January 14.
Coetzee was the likely replacement for Anrich Nortje for the Proteas’ Champions Trophy squad, which begin their campaign on February 21 against Afghanistan. Coetzee was first included in the tri-nations squad which was announced at 10am, before being withdrawn in a press release made at 2pm.
Evidently, Coetzee completed 10 overs in training in Pretoria on Wednesday, but experienced discomfort in the hamstring once more and was withdrawn from the squad as a precaution. Cricket SA said a replacement would be announced in due course.
The tri-nation series, meanwhile, will see the Proteas take on New Zealand on February 10 before hosts Pakistan two days later. On February 12, SA will play Pakistan again in their final game of the short warm-up series for the Champions Trophy.
The Proteas selectors, however, have taken just a 12-player squad, led by Temba Bavuma, for the tri-nation series with a number of players that will not take part in the Champions Trophy.
Uncapped ODI players Matthew Breetzke, Meeka-eel Prince, Gideon Peters, Eathan Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Mihlali Mpongwana have all been called up but are not in the Champions Trophy squad.
The tri-nations squad though, will be expanded after the SA20 Eliminator between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings in Centurion on Wednesday.
More squad members will then be named on Sunday after the SA20 final.
Proteas Champions Trophy squad members not taking part in the tri-nations series will fly out for the tournament on February 14. Those players are Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Kagiso, Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen.
Proteas tri-nation squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Eathan Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Junior Dala, Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy*, Gideon Peters,Meeka-eel Prince, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne.
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