Klaasen and Mulder named in Test squad

Cricket365
February 24, 2018

Cricket South Africa have named Titans wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen and Lions all-rounder Wiaan Mulder as new caps in the Proteas squad for the first two Test matches against Australia to be played next month.

They take the places of Andile Phehlukwayo and Chris Morris from the squad that played against India.

If either of the new caps plays against Australia, he will become the 100th player to represent the Proteas in this format.

“Klaasen has been tremendously impressive in the white-ball matches he has played for the Proteas and we firmly believe he can become just as good a player in the five-day format,” commented CSA National Selection Panel Convener Linda Zondi.

“He has averaged nearly 50 with the bat in Sunfoil four-day cricket this season and hit two centuries.

“We are also keen to have a back-up wicketkeeper to De Kock in the squad.

“The selection of Mulder continues our strategy to expand our pool of all-rounders against top quality opposition. He is a batting all-rounder and his selection will depend on how we decide to balance our starting XI. He has been the top all-rounder in the Sunfoil Series with a batting average of 60 (one century) and 15 wickets at an average of 28.

“It has been very exciting this season to see the way young players have settled into the various Proteas squads and done well and this is a continuation of that policy,” concluded Zondi.

Proteas Test squad: Faf du Plessis (Titans, capt), Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Temba Bavuma (Cape Cobras), Quinton de Kock (Titans), Theunis de Bruyn (Knights), AB de Villiers (Titans), Dean Elgar (Titans), Heinrich Klaasen (Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Titans), Morne Morkel (Titans), Wiaan Mulder (Highveld Lions), Lungisani Ngidi (Titans), Vernon Philander (Cape Cobras), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions).