Sanity prevails as Proteas finalise their Champions Trophy squad, but will it make a difference?

The Proteas finally confirmed their squad for the Champions Trophy over the weekend, with Corbin Bosch eventually called up to replace the injured Anrich Nortje.

Nearly a month ago, on January 14 Cricket SA (CSA) announced their 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy.

A few eyebrows were raised as 31-year-old tearaway quick bowler Nortje who has been injury plagued over the last two years, was included in the squad. That came after he had not played a game of cricket for over a month.

Of course Nortje’s inclusion in the squad meant he had overcome any injury concerns he had. Not so. Two days later, he was withdrawn due to injury.

Comedy of injuries

In stepped, or soon hobbled, Gerald Coetzee, for Nortje. He was seen as the likely replacement for Nortje, and would add extra ability with the bat.

He too, a couple days later was ruled out of the SA20 with a hamstring problem, but CSA went out of their way to say they would wait until they could make a call on Coetzee before naming him as a replacement for Nortje for the Champions Trophy.

Coetzee would go on to be included in the warm-up tri-nation series squad involving New Zealand and Pakistan. However, just four hours after being named in that squad - he was ruled out after his hamstring problem flared up once more during a training session.

On Sunday, the 30-year-old Bosch was included and 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka was also called up as a travelling reserve. That finally means South Africa will be well covered in the fast bowling department.

Suddenly, the Proteas have Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Bosch to choose from as their seam attack.

South Africa will certainly need a powerful bowling lineup, as the only One-Day International (ODI) series they’ve won in the last year came against minnows Ireland. The other two losses came against Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pitted against Afghanistan, England and Australia, South Africa will certainly have their work cut out to simply make it out of their group.

@Michael_Sherman

IOL Sport

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