Amla rested, squad rotated for third ODI
South Africa opener Hashim Amla has been rested for the third ODI against Zimbabwe taking place in Bulawayo on Thursday, given the Proteas have already won the first two matches.
South Africa opener Hashim Amla has been rested for the third ODI against Zimbabwe taking place in Bulawayo on Thursday, given the Proteas have already won the first two matches.
Amla has been given leave due to a busy workload, and will head back to South Africa for a few days, before returning for the triangular series also involving Australia starting in Harare next week.
Amla's absence will give the Proteas' management an opportunity to rotate the squad, with Rilee Rossouw, Mthokozisi Shezi and Marchant de Lange yet to receive game time in the series.
Captain AB de Villiers was impressed with the batting depth shown by the lower order in Tuesday's series-winning performance, and says the new faces coming in have a lot to play for.
"It wasn't a bad batting performance considering that our top order didn't score a lot of runs," De Villiers said after the match. "The fact that Parney (Parnell) and some of the middle order and tail chipped in a lot was pleasing to me; its shows that there is a lot of depth in the batting order.
"There will possibly be two or three changes. The most important one to mention is Hashim. He has played a lot of cricket and scored a lot of runs, so it will be a good opportunity for him to take some time off for one game and get him back here for the tri-series nice and fresh.
"They have played a lot of cricket of late and they are all in decent form," he said of the reserves. "I don't want to put too much pressure on them, I want to free them up and allow them to express their talent if they get an opportunity.
"There are still rankings at stake, so as a team we would like to win even though we might make a few changes."
Latest
-
NewsAssistant coach Graham Thorpe urges England batsmen to show their ‘desperation’
The Test team are mulling over a first home series defeat in seven years after collapsing against New Zealand at Edgbaston.
-
NewsOllie Robinson set for return to action with Sussex second XI
Robinson is currently suspended from international cricket.
-
NewsThe key questions for England after the series loss to New Zealand
The Black Caps inflicted a first series defeat on home soil since 2014 with victory at Edgbaston.
-
NewsChris Woakes is an all-round success as Bears give Derbyshire sore heads
Woakes took two for 38 and struck an unbeaten 13 off five balls in the away win at Derby.
-
NewsJoe Root will not panic over England’s poor batting at Edgbaston
The Black Caps dislodged India as the world’s number one Test side as a result of their eight-wicket win at Edgbaston.
-
-
NewsOn this day in 2013: David Warner suspended for altercation with Joe Root
The Australia batsman was banned from all cricket up to the first Ashes Test that summer and fined almost £7,000.
-
NewsEngland staring at New Zealand series defeat after day three of second Test
Sri Lanka were the last touring side to deal England a bloody nose on their own soil.
-
NewsChris Silverwood admits England’s performance is not good enough in second Test
The game was all but lost by stumps with the scoreboard reading 122 for nine.