Burger returns as Pretorius, Hermann earn maiden T20I Proteas call-ups
Fast bowler Nandre Burger returns to the Proteas setup after an injury lay-off since October. Picture: Daniel Prentice/Gallo Images
Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad included four maiden T20I call-ups in his 14-player squad for next month's tri-series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand in Harare.
Rassie van der Dussen will captain the side while Corbin Bosch, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Rubin Hermann and Senuran Muthusamy could make their debuts.
Pretorius finished as the SA20 leading run-scorer with 397 runs at a strike rate of more than 166.
Batting at number three, Hermann recorded 333 runs at a strike rate of 128.08 and an equally impressive average of 41.43. Bosch, who is already capped in One-Day Internationals (ODI) and Tests, played a key role in MI Cape Town's maiden SA20 title-winning campaign last season, taking 11 wickets in eight matches.
Meanwhile, Muthusamy is one of three frontline spinners in the squad, alongside George Linde and Nqaba Peter.
Big names return to Proteas
Dewald Brevis makes his return to the T20I setup, having last featured in two matches against Australia in 2023.
Fast bowler Nandre Burger is back in the national setup for the first time since October after recovering from a lumbar stress fracture, while Gerald Coetzee, now fully fit following a groin injury, last played for the Proteas in November.
The tri-series also marks Conrad's first T20I assignment since being appointed as the senior men's all-format head coach. He said the series marks the start of their preparation for next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
'With several senior players rested as part of their workload management, it creates space for these players to step in and show what they can offer, and bring them into contention for World Cup selection,' Conrad said.
'Having three quality spin options gives us a great deal of variety, especially in conditions like Harare. Senuran has been impressive in the domestic setup and his ability to contribute with the bat adds great balance to the squad.
South Africa will open the tri-series against Zimbabwe on 14 July at Harare Sports Club.
Proteas squad for the tri-series
Rassie van der Dussen (captain, Lions), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Gerald Coetzee (Titans), Reeza Hendricks (Lions), Rubin Hermann (North-West Dragons), George Linde (Western Province), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Nqaba Peter (Lions), Lhuan-dré Pretorius (Titans) and Andile Simelane (Dolphins).
OPINION: Mind-boggling Proteas are resting players for Zim Tests
Fixtures
Monday, 14 July – 1pm: Zimbabwe vs South Africa at Harare Sports Club
Wednesday, 16 July – 1pm: South Africa vs New Zealand at Harare Sports Club
Friday, 18 July – 1pm: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand at Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 20 July – 1pm: Zimbabwe vs South Africa at Harare Sports Club
Tuesday, 22 July – 1pm: New Zealand vs South Africa at Harare Sports Club
Thursday, 24 July – 1pm: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand at Harare Sports Club
Saturday, 26 July – 1pm: Number 1 vs Number 2 at Harare Sports Club
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Western Province embrace chilly Cape Town winter to set pre-season in full swing
FILE - All-Round Mihlali Mpongwana has been one of the new generation that have helped Western Province reach two consecutive One-Day Cup finals. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix On the bowling front, the squad has been boosted by the pace and experience of fast bowler Tshepo Moreki. With many of their star players, including Kyle Verreynne, David Bedingham and Tony de Zorzi playing various formats for the Proteas, Province have added left-handed opening batter Jiveshan Pillay into their squad from the Warriors and right-handed opening batter Joshua van Heerden from the Titans. Having gone through the season without the trophy, where the Boys in Blue finished fifth in the Four-Day competition, eighth in the One Day Cup and fourth in the T20 Challenge, the Cape Town-based unit has had an early start to their pre-season preparations. THE Western Province Men's team has embraced the chilly Cape Town winter as pre-season preparations are in full swing. Pillay is already with the squad in their pre-season training, while Moreki and Mihlali Mpongwana are expected to join the pre-season preparations this week, having just returned from the Caribbean with the South Africa 'A' squad. Van Heerden is expected to join the squad at the beginning of August. Perhaps the most important addition at Newlands this season is the newly appointed coach, Rory Kleinveldt. Kleinveldt makes his return to Newlands following a successful tenure in the UK, where he served as Lead Bowling Coach for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. The 42-year-old's appointment follows the departure of former head coach, Salieg Nackerdien, who concluded his tenure at the end of the 2024/25 season. The Boys in Blue got their winter programme underway with a challenging hike up the demanding Constantia Nek trail under the supervision of Strength and Conditioning coach Dieter Swanepoel. 'We are four weeks into our pre-season program thus far, and I'm very happy with the progress that the guys have made,' said Swanepoel. 'We started our winter training off with a couple of hikes up Constantia Nek and Table Mountain, balancing the training objectives with a bit of team cohesion and good banter. The players also underwent their baseline fitness profiling before commencing with the formal strength and conditioning program. 'The wet weather hasn't been ideal for our cardiovascular sessions, but it just meant more time indoors on the machines. Every winter it is pretty much the same weather, wet and cold, so it's just a matter of being adaptable and at times creative. 'The guys' attitudes and energies have been awesome thus far. There has been a good focus and determination from the guys on how they are going about their business, which is exciting.' Swanepoel concluded. WSB Western Province Men 2025/26 squad Beuran Hendricks, Bongile Mfunelwa, Dane Paterson, Daniel Smith, Eddie Moore, George Linde, Jiveshan Pillay, Jono Bird, Joshua van Heerden, Juan James, Kyle Simmonds, Mihlali Mpongwana, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Oliver Whitehead, Raeeq Daniels, Tshepo Moreki, Valentine Kitime. National Contracts: David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi.
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Nolusindiso Booi to captain experienced Springbok Women in crucial Test against Canada
Springbok Women's captain Nolusindiso Booi will lead the South Africans in the first Test against Canada on Saturday in Pretoria. Image: BackpagePix Nolusindiso Booi will lead the Springbok Women in her 51st cap when they take on second-ranked Canada on Saturday in Pretoria in one of their toughest World Cup preparation matches to date. The Bok Women selected a core of experienced players for the first of two Tests as they look to up the intensity ahead of the tournament starting next month in England. Only five players in the starting XV have less than 20 caps, but they are all in the double figures as performance coach Swys de Bruin and his assistants look to lay a strong marker at Loftus Versfeld (1.30 pm kick-off). The #BokWomen team to face Canada in Pretoria on Saturday, in what will be one of their most challenging Tests in a while - more here: 💚💛#MakeItCount #ETTIG — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 3, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Eight players have experience against Canada, with scrumhalf Tayla Kinsey, tighthead prop Babalwa Latsha, Booi, winger Jakkie Cilliers, flyhalf Libbie Janse van Rensburg, No 8 Aseza Hele, lock Danelle Lochner and loosehead Sanelisiwe Charlie. Outside centre Zinthle Mphupa, the team's leading try scorer, and hooker Micke Gunter will start for the team for the first time this year. 'Canada is not only ranked second in the world, but they are also full of confidence after an undefeated run in the recent Pacific Four tournament,' De Bruin said with his team announcement. 'We need matches like these tough ones as we get our final plans in place ahead of the Rugby World Cup. It is all good to train well and we did so over a number of months, but now we need to test our systems and plans against Canada, who are one of the favourites to win the World Cup.' Catha Jacobs is well-aware of Canada's threats across the park, but she insists the #BokWomen are ready to bring some fire to the Test on Saturday - more here: 🔥#MakeItCount #ETTIG — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) July 1, 2025 However, De Bruin feels the experience they were able to select will stand the team in good stead. He's selected one of the most experienced Springbok Women's sides with 17 players in the match-day squad who have World Cup experience after playing in New Zealand. 'They will be aware of the pressure Canada put on their opponents and how well they have played in recent seasons. We are looking inward, though, for this match, and our focus will be on executing our way of play. They know it won't be easy, but Jakkie Cilliers said the #BokWomen are intent on giving it a full go when they face Canada in Pretoria on Saturday - more here: 👊#MakeItCount #ETTIG — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) June 30, 2025
Daily Maverick
3 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Amid off-field uncertainty, Banyana Banyana lean on team spirit to defend Wafcon crown
South Africa face off against Ghana in their Women's Africa Cup of Nations opener on Monday. South Africa's Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) title defence gets under way on Monday, 7 July 2025, against Ghana at the Honneur Stadium in Morocco. Banyana Banyana have had a turbulent build-up to the tournament that includes player strikes due to fees not being paid, head coach Desiree Ellis heading up the role without a permanent contract, and long-term sponsor Sasol's deal with the team ending as recently as the end of last month. Despite the background turmoil, the side is confident of defending their continental crown. 'We are feeling good, and we are prepared,' defender Regina Mogolola said. 'We know what it will take to defend our title, and we will have to work as a team — play for one another, support each other, fight for one another. 'Teamwork will win the day, unlike in tennis where you are on your own.' It's not the first time that the team had a sit-in before a major tournament. Before the 2023 Fifa World Cup, which was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the team protested against the South African Football Association's (Safa) handling of the preparation. Despite this, the team united and had their best-ever showing at the tournament — having been knocked out at the round of 16. They will need a similar coming together in order to overcome the challenges that await them in Morocco, as they did three years ago when they were crowned champions of Africa for the first time. Experienced core Mogolola comes back into the national fold after a seven-year hiatus. She was part of the Banyana Banyana side that finished as runners-up to Nigeria in 2018. Banyana Banyana won't have the reliable Thembi Kgatlana to rely on on the goalscoring front after the attacker withdrew from the side, citing personal reasons. Kgatlana has been integral in Banyana's previous tournament showings. The forward was instrumental in South Africa's previous Wafcon success, as well as scoring the decisive extra-time goal in South Africa's 3-2 group stage win over Italy to see the country reach the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time, in 2023. 'It's not easy not having Thembi here because she is a major force within the squad, but I think with what she's left behind we're going to do everything in our power to make her proud,' said Banyana goalkeeper Kaylin Swart. Swart forms part of an experienced core that Ellis will rely on in the absence of Kgatlana, which includes captain Refiloe Jane, Jermaine Seoposenwe, Andile Dlamini, Hildah Magaia and Linda Motlhalo. Black Queens Apart from Ghana, South Africa's opponents in Group C include Tanzania and Mali. However, Banyana's first match is expected to be their most challenging. Ghana have finished as runners-up at Wafcon on three occasions, and finished third three times too, the most recent being in 2016. Mali, in comparison, have only reached the final four once, in 2018, and it's only the second time Tanzania have ever qualified for Wafcon. The Black Queens' most recent form has been up and down, winning three of their last seven friendly matches since April, with their most recent fixture being a 3-1 walloping at the hands of nine-time Wafcon champions Nigeria. Since April they have also suffered defeats to Senegal and Ivory Coast. 'The Black Queens have represented Ghana in a number of tournaments in recent times. In terms of women's football, the Black Queens are the biggest movers in terms of the Fifa rankings when it comes to Africa,' Tophic Kadir Sienu, senior manager in charge of communications at the Ghana FA, said recently. 'And so we are all hoping that when the African Cup starts, the Black Queens will be able to lift the flag of Ghana high, and we are very confident considering how they are preparing so far.' South Africa are 54th on the Fifa rankings, with Nigeria the only African side ahead of them, at 36th. Ghana are the closest in terms of their Group C opponents, at 66th. DM
