AB de Villiers leads full strength Proteas to World Cup

AB DE VILLIERS will lead a full strength Castle Lager Proteas squad to Australia and New Zealand in February to challenge for the 2015 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

“Quinton de Kock is the only injury concern at the moment,” commented Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection committee convener, Andrew Hudson. “Our medical committee has backed his inclusion in the squad at this stage so there is confidence that he will be ready for the tournament.

“There are eight players with previous World Cup experience – De Villiers, Hashim Amla, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Wayne Parnell, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir – so we feel we have a nice blend of experience of major knock-out tournaments plus the freshness that will come from the relative newcomers.

“We have also stayed true to our policy of consistency and reward for good performances that has enabled us to build up a good record over the past 12 months. The fact that most of these series have been played away from home has provided excellent preparation as well.

“The selectors have also identified a group of standby players in the event of injury replacements being needed but these will not be named at this stage.”

Castle Lager Proteas World Cup squad:

 AB de Villiers (The Unlimited Titans, capt), Hashim Amla (Nashua Cape Cobras, vice-capt), Kyle Abbott (Sunfoil Dolphins), Farhaan Behardien (The Unlimited Titans), Quinton de Kock (bizhub Highveld Lions), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (The Unlimited Titans), Imran Tahir (Sunfoil Dolphins), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (The Unlimited Titans),Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Aaron Phangiso (bizhub Highveld Lions), Vernon Philander (Nashua Cape Cobras), Rilee Rossouw (Chevrolet Knights), Dale Steyn (Nashua Cape Cobras).

Morne van Wyk (Sunfoil Dolphins) will deputize for De Kock for the Momentum ODI Series against the West Indies.

Alviro Petersen quits international cricket

South Africa's opener, Alviro Petersen, announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect after the match against West Indies. He also revealed that he will retire from international cricket with effect from April 1, 2015.

"I feel that at 34, it is time for me to retire from international cricket and to move on with my career. I intend playing County and Franchise cricket for the next three years and also concentrating on my Foundation and my cricket school," said Petersen.

"It has been an honour to represent my country and to be part of a South African Test team that is ranked number one in the world. I want to thank Cricket South Africa, my team mates, sponsors and cricket fans for all the support and memories over the years. I will miss Proteas' amazing team culture that we have built, International cricket, and especially, my team mates but it is time to move on. I wish South African cricket and the Proteas all the best for the future, especially for the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australasia," he added.

Petersen fell for a duck in his final innings but was a steady member of the Proteas Test squad over the last few years. He made his Test debut in 2010 against India at Eden Gardens, Kolkata and immediately impressed with a century. He played 36 Tests in total and scored 5 hundreds with an average of 34.88.

CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, led the tributes for Petersen.

"Alviro's contributions to the Proteas success cannot be measured only in statistics. As a senior member of the team, he played a key role in establishing a successful team culture and introducing younger players to it. His confident starts and solid opening stands have been vital to our growth as a successful team. Together with Graeme Smith, he shared in major partnerships totalling more than 2000 runs at an average of more than 42. This is excellent for an opening batting partnership, which is arguably the most difficult job in the game, particularly under South African conditions.

"We well remember his century on debut against India at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2010 while his career best innings of 182 at Headingley in 2012 was pivotal to the Proteas beating England 2-0 and starting our standing as one of the best teams in the world. To have succeeded against the odds we know Alviro had to face during his formative years, makes him a true role model for every youngster aspiring to play for the Proteas.

"The foundation he has set up to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities says a great deal about Alviro the man. On behalf of all at CSA, I wish to sincerely thank Alviro for his part in making the Castle Lager Proteas one of the most formidable teams in the world. He can look back with great pride and satisfaction on having contributed to the most successful Test era in South African cricket history," said Lorgat.

SA to tour Bangladesh in July-August

South Africa's tour of Bangladesh 1st T20I - July 5, Dhaka 2nd T20I - July 7, Dhaka 1st ODI - July 10, Dhaka 2nd ODI - July 12, Dhaka 3rd ODI - July 15, Chittagong 1st Test- July 21-25, Chittagong 2nd Test - July 30-August 3, Dhaka

International cricket will be played in July and August for the first time in Bangladesh, after the BCB announced that South Africa will play two T20s, three ODIs and two Tests in the country during the monsoon season. In addition, the BCB's media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said that Pakistan will play three ODIs, two Tests and a T20 in April, while India and Australia will also tour Bangladesh in 2015.

South Africa will arrive on June 30 and play a practice T20 game in Fatullah on July 3. This will be followed by the T20 matches in Mirpur on July 5 and 7. The ODI series will begin on July 10, the third of which will be played in Chittagong. The first Test will also be held in Chittagong, from July 21, while the second Test will be held in Mirpur from July 30 to August 3.

"This tour was set four or five years ago in the FTP," Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the BCB CEO, said. 

"We tried to change the schedule but we had to match with South Africa."