Lions wicket-keeper Mosehle set to take the gloves in first T20 against Sri Lanka

19 January 2017 - 18:01 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Proteas stand-in captain Farhaan Behardien has confirmed that Lions wicket-keeper Mangaliso Mosehle will take the gloves in the first T20 match against Sri Lanka in Centurion on Friday afternoon.

Behardien also revealed that explosive batsman David Miller will move up a few places higher on the batting order to possibly number four while a decision on who will take the new ball will depend on the state of the pitch on Friday.

The move to promote Miller higher on the batting line-up is seen as an attempt by the Proteas think tank to pressurize Sri Lankan batsman who are still smarting from a 3-0 Test series whitewash.

“Mangi (Mosehle) is definitely the number one glove man at the moment because that role is familiar to him‚ so he will wear the gloves‚" Behardien said during his captain’s press conference on Thursday.

"With regard to David Miller‚ I will grant him his wish of batting higher because he has been very destructive over the last few months and the Knights have utilised him slightly up the order at number four.

  • Mosehle becomes 10th national team player to come through the Toyana production lineThe inclusion of wicketkeeper/batsman Mangaliso Mosehle in the Proteas squad for the T20 matches against Sri Lanka has increased the number of Lions players coach Geoffrey Toyana has produced for the national team to ten in less than five years. 

"They have given him time to face more balls and we all know that if Miller faces about 50 balls he will most probably score a hundred or any score in that region.

"He likes to attack and that is his nature and the way he bats‚ so in these three matches you will definitely see Miller bat higher.”

Behardien added that he was happy with the composition of the squad because they have options as most of the players can fulfill different roles.

“A lot of players can fulfill different roles‚ Heino Kuhn has opened the batting for a long time at the Titans in white and red ball cricket and if he is asked to open the batting‚ it’s not something that he will be unfamiliar with.

"Mangi (Mosehle) could slot in at number three and he has also batted at six‚ most guys can perform different roles.

"We will decide on the day with regards to the line-up and a lot depends on the way the team shapes up and what conditions are going to be like.”

  • Who are the new guys in the SA T20 team?Several Proteas debutants will come under scrutiny in the coming T20 series between South Africa and Sri Lanka‚ which starts in Centurion on Friday. 

He said all the players who are in the squad deserve to be there because they have been on form during the CSA T20 Challenge.

“All the players who have been selected have showed unbelievable form during the T20 Challenge and Jon-Jon Smuts comes to mind because he led the run scoring charts.

"Heino Kuhn has also been in fantastic form‚ Lungi Ngidi has been one of the stand-out bowlers and all the players who have been selected deserves to be there‚” he said‚ adding that their intention is to win the series.

 - TMG Digital

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now