Maharaj sidelined, Mulder to lead South Africa against Zimbabwe
South Africa won the first test at the same venue by 328 runs on Tuesday, fielding only four of the players who helped them to victory in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's last month.
That will be down to three with Senuran Muthusamy to replace Maharaj. All-rounder Wiaan Mulder will skipper the side as they search for a 2-0 series win.
Seamer Lungi Ngidi, who played in the WTC final, missed the first test and was expected to join the team in Zimbabwe ahead of the second match but Cricket South Africa has cancelled that plan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
South Africa want promising batsmen to show potential on international stage
CAPE TOWN :South Africa's Twenty20 captain Aiden Markram wants his team's promising young batsman to use the opportunity of limited overs tours to Australia and England over the next eight weeks to develop their careers and display their international potential. South Africa have high hopes for powerful teenage slogger Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, the prolific 22-year-old run scorer who first competed in the Indian Premier League three years ago, as they continue preparations for next year's T20 World Cup. "The last thing you want to do is to clip their wings. You sort of want to let them fly and let them do their thing,' Markram told a virtual press conference on Friday as South Africa readied to depart for Australia, where they play three T20 internationals in Darwin and Cairns later this month. "I think we've seen on various stages around the world now that they are proper X-factor players and that they have taken to international cricket quite easily,' he added. "So, I don't know if I have too much advice for them, besides the fact that they must keep taking the game on and not be scared of disappointments or failures. 'It's been great to see their progress. They're going to play a massive role moving forward in cricket in South Africa and that's the thing that we're quite excited about,' Markram added. Brevis, a regular in T20 leagues around the world, debuted for South Africa's T20 side against Australia two years ago while Pretorius, 19, debuted in last month's tri series against New Zealand and hosts Zimbabwe, scoring 51 in the final in Harare last weekend. The pair are also in the squad to take on Australia in three One Day Internationals after the T20 series. South Africa then head to England early next month for three ODIs and three T20s. "For us as a team it'll be about fine tuning a lot of things and preparing for that T20 World Cup, so a great opportunity in Australia and then followed by England and if we can get closer towards another trophy, that'll be good," Markram told reporters. South Africa were runners-up at the last T20 World Cup in the West Indies one year ago and Markram was the hero of their World Test Championship win over Australia in June. The next T20 World Cup to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in early 2026.
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
New Zealand 92-0 at stumps after dismissing Zimbabwe for 149
(Changes Smith description from spinner to medium-fast bowler in paragraph two) Seamer Matt Henry took six wickets as New Zealand bowled out hosts Zimbabwe for 149 on the opening day of the first test at Queens Sports Club on Wednesday before scoring 92-0 in reply to trail by 57 runs. The 33-year-old Henry took three wickets before lunch and three more after the opening session to finish with figures of 6-39 off 15.3 overs as the tourists dominated, with medium-fast bowler Nathan Smith making a significant contribution with 3-20. New Zealand opener Devon Conway scored an unbeaten 51 and Will Young 41 not out at stumps as they began their reply, looking to set the foundation for a significant first innings lead. Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat but were 67-4 at lunch as Henry dismissed their top order cheaply. Zimbabwe, coming off a pair of heavy defeats at home by South Africa in the last six weeks, were unable to put together any significant partnerships with the highest being 54 runs for the sixth wicket between captain Craig Ervine and Tafadzwa Tsiga. Ervine top scored with 39 before Smith trapped him leg before wicket. The spinner also had Tsiga lbw for 30. New Zealand were without captain Tom Latham, who failed to recover from a shoulder injury, and Kane Williamson, who opted out of the two-test series, leaving Mitchell Santner to take the reins for his first test as captain.
CNA
3 days ago
- CNA
Wallaby White to play last test in Lions series finale, Valetini out
SYDNEY :Rob Valetini will miss Saturday's third test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions but scrumhalf Nic White has been given a chance to sign off his international career as the Wallabies look to avoid a series sweep. Flanker Valetini was outstanding as Australia took an early 23-5 lead in last week's second test and will be sorely missed at Stadium Australia on Saturday as he is "managed" ahead of two matches against the Springboks in South Africa. He will be replaced by Tom Hooper in the back row, one of three changes to the starting line-up forced on coach Joe Schmidt by injury. Tighthead Allan Alaalatoa suffered a shoulder injury last week that could rob the Wallabies of one of their leaders for the rest of the season. Taniela "Tongan Thor" Tupou brings his considerable bulk into the front row in Alaalatoa's place for his first appearance of the series. Dylan Pietsch will start on the left wing for Harry Potter, who was taken off with a hamstring injury after 20 minutes at Melbourne Cricket Ground last week. White's inclusion at scrumhalf for Jake Gordon was not enforced but gives the 35-year-old a chance to win a 73rd cap before standing down from test rugby, a decision he announced earlier on Thursday. "Pulling on the gold jersey was a dream of mine when I was a young boy ... and to say I've done it 72 times, with one last crack on Saturday night, is something I'm incredibly proud of," White said in a Rugby Australia news release. Schmidt has reverted to a 5-3 split in favour of the forwards on the bench, bringing outside back Andrew Kellaway back into the matchday squad for flanker Carlo Tizzano. Tizzano was the recipient of the clear-out from Lions counterpart Jac Morgan in the lead-up to the tourists' late match-winning try in Melbourne, which Schmidt felt was illegal. "The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week's test in Melbourne," Schmidt said. "But they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on Saturday." Team: 15–Tom Wright, 14–Max Jorgensen, 13–Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12–Len Ikitau, 11–Dylan Pietsch, 10–Tom Lynagh, 9–Nic White, 8–Harry Wilson, 7–Fraser McReight, 6–Tom Hooper, 5–Will Skelton, 4–Nick Frost, 3–Taniela Tupou, 2–David Porecki, 1–James Slipper
