Discarded Test captain Neil Brand, who led a second-string South African side in New Zealand in February, has been tasked with leading a South Africa A side against Sri Lanka A next month. Brand will take charge of a home series that includes two four-day matches aimed at preparing players considered to be on the fringes of the national side to make the step up. The red-ball matches are preceded by three one-day games, with Test wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne in charge of the white-ball squad.
South Africa's fifty-over playing group also includes David Bedingham, who scored a Test century in New Zealand under Brand, Tony de Zorzi, who made his ODI debut last year and Tristan Luus, who played at the Under-19 World Cup. The four-day squad also has Matthew Breetzke from the current Test tour to West Indies. Dewald Brevis, the breakout star from the 2022 under-19 World Cup, is in both squads.
Interestingly, the number of black African players in the squads far exceeds the national target of two players per XI (on average over the course of a season) with six black African players in the one-day squad and four in the Test squad. Allrounder Mihlali Mpongwana, who is currently captaining a South African Emerging squad in Zimbabwe, is in both squads along with Lutho Sipamla, the bowler who has been capped 17 times across all formats internationally but has struggled with recent injuries. In the four-day squad, batters Tshepang Dithole and Sinethemba Qeshile are included while in the one-day squad batters Andile Mokgakane and Andile Simelane are joined by allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo.
The selection indicates a clear focus on Cricket South Africa's aims to develop more black African batting talent as they plan for the home ODI World Cup in 2027. There were no black African batters at the recent T20 World Cup and only Temba Bavuma plays regularly in ODIs. CSA's recently concluded Diversity, Equality and Inclusion conference placed an emphasis on ensuring there is enough black African talent at provincial level for the national coaches to select, after white-ball coach Rob Walter asked for the domestic set-up to "up the ante," when it comes to advancing transformation.
The series is set to run from August 31 to September 18. Walter and Test coach Shukri Conrad selected the two squads. Conrad will oversee the entire tour, with Walter involved with the national team on trips to West Indies and the UAE. All three one-day games will be played in Potchefstroom and the four-day matches in Kimberley and Benoni.
South Africa A one-day squad: Kyle Verreynne (capt), 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 (capt), 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