DURBAN, Jan 14: South Africa have included batsman Justin Ontong and fast bowler Morne Morkel in their squad for the one-day series against the West Indies.
Ontong played the last of his 21 One-day Internationals against India in Bangalore in 2005, while Morkel has regained his fitness after being sent home from South Africa’s tour to Pakistan in October with a foot injury.
The squad, which was named on Monday, will be reviewed after the first two of five ODIs.
A Cricket South Africa statement quoted selection chief Joubert Strydom as saying Ontong would replace Herschelle Gibbs in the first match of the series in Centurion on Sunday.
“Herschelle Gibbs is not available for Sunday for personal reasons,” Strydom said. “Justin Ontong will take his place for this game and A.B. de Villiers will stand in as opening batsman.”
Strydom said fast bowler Charl Langeveldt would undergo a fitness test on Wednesday to gauge the severity of a foot injury he sustained in a domestic match.
The same squad will be involved in a Twenty20 match against the West Indies in Johannesburg on Friday. South Africa won the Test series 2-1.
Squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, Justin Ontong, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Charl Langeveldt.—Reuters
