Duminy takes the reins as top Proteas rested

01 October 2014 - 02:14 By Telford Vice
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South African batsman JP Duminy leaves the pitch after loosing his wicket during the match between South Africa and Zimbabwe in the one day international tri-series which includes hosts Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, on September 4, 2014 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
South African batsman JP Duminy leaves the pitch after loosing his wicket during the match between South Africa and Zimbabwe in the one day international tri-series which includes hosts Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, on September 4, 2014 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Selection convenor Andrew Hudson put a creative kink in South Africa's World Cup planning yesterday by naming a T20 squad significantly short on star players. And that's not all: the side will be captained by JP Duminy.

Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are absentees from the 14 who will play three T20 games against Australia in November.

In their places are uncapped Reeza Hendricks and Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw - fresh from making his one-day debut in Zimbabwe last month - Farhaan Behardien and David Wiese.

The games are orphaned between three ODIs in New Zealand and five more in Australia. So, rest the big guns for the short, sharp stuff while putting a glimmer of hope in the eyes of those who have ambitions of forcing their way into South Africa's 2015 World Cup squad.

"It is a great opportunity for guys to stake a claim in the Proteas squad," Duminy said yesterday.

With most of South Africa's other established batsmen out of the way, the T20 series is a chance for Duminy to hone his on-field relationship with David Miller - a potentially match-winning partnership that is often not exploited fully because the men who come in earlier do more than their fair share of the run-scoring.

Hudson stood by his assertion that the Proteas' World Cup squad is "almost finalised, barring one or two injuries" by making just one change to the ODI squad that will go to New Zealand this month and to Australia the next.

Vernon Philander, who has recovered from a hamstring problem, replaces Mthokozisi Shezi.

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