Neil Brand to Lead South Africa A in Series Against Sri Lanka

Former Test captain Neil Brand, who led a second-string South African team in New Zealand in February, has been appointed to captain the South Africa A side against Sri Lanka A next month. The series, set to take place at home, consists of two four-day matches designed to prepare players on the cusp of national selection. These red-ball matches will be preceded by three one-day games, with Test wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne captaining the white-ball squad.

South Africa’s one-day squad features players such as David Bedingham, who scored a Test century in New Zealand under Brand’s captaincy, Tony de Zorzi, who debuted in ODIs last year, and Tristan Luus, a participant in the Under-19 World Cup. The four-day squad includes Matthew Breetzke, currently on the Test tour to the West Indies, and Dewald Brevis, the standout player from the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, who is in both squads.

Notably, the number of black African players in the squads surpasses the national target of two per XI on average over a season, with six in the one-day squad and four in the Test squad. All-rounder Mihlali Mpongwana, captaining a South African Emerging squad in Zimbabwe, and bowler Lutho Sipamla, who has 17 international caps but has faced recent injuries, are included in both squads. The four-day squad features batters Tshepang Dithole and Sinethemba Qeshile, while the one-day squad includes batters Andile Mokgakane and Andile Simelane, along with all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo.

This selection underscores Cricket South Africa’s commitment to developing black African batting talent as they prepare for the home ODI World Cup in 2027. The recent T20 World Cup saw no black African batters, and only Temba Bavuma is a regular in ODIs. CSA’s Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion conference highlighted the need for sufficient black African talent at the provincial level to aid national selection, following white-ball coach Rob Walter’s call to enhance transformation efforts in domestic cricket.

The series will run from August 31 to September 18. The squads were selected by Walter and Test coach Shukri Conrad, with Conrad overseeing the entire tour while Walter focuses on the national team’s tours to the West Indies and UAE. Potchefstroom will host all three one-day games, and Kimberley and Benoni will host the four-day matches.

South Africa A One-Day Squad

Kyle Verreynne (captain), David Bedingham, Eathan Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Dayyaan Galiem, Tristan Luus, Mihlali Mpongwana, Andile Mogakane, Senuran Muthusamy, Andile Phehlukwayo, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Codi Yusuf

South Africa A Four-Day Squad

Neil Brand (captain), Marques Ackerman, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Tshepang Dithole, Jean du Plessis, Patrick Kruger, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Mihlali Mpongwana, Migael Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen, Beyers Swanepoel, Codi Yusuf