Abbott in ODI squad as cover for injured Morkel

Fast bowler Kyle Abbott has been added to South Africa's one-day squad for the series against Pakistan, as cover for the injured Morne Morkel. Morkel had picked up a hamstring injury during the course of the second Test and is still recovering.

As a result of that injury, Abbott was called up to the Test squad too, for the third match, and impressed with a nine-wicket haul (including seven in the first innings) on international debut. He is also part of the squad for the two Twenty20s that precede the one-dayers.

"Morne Morkel's recovery is still a work in progress," Cricket South Africa selection convener, Andrew Hudson, said. "And we consider it prudent to provide extra depth to our fast-bowling resources."

Abbott had a fine season in domestic cricket, prompting his initial call-up for the Test. He finished the first-class tournament as the leading wicket-taker, with 49 wickets at an economy rate of under three an over for Dolphins. When he got the Test call-up, Hudson had said Abbott "swings the ball nicely" and he did showcase those skills in the Test: bowling in the mid-130s, he kept it around off stump and consistently got the ball to zip away from the right-hand batsmen on a Centurion pitch with variable bounce. Subsequently, six of his seven first-innings victims were out edging to the slip cordon or gully.

South Africa and Pakistan play the T20s on March 1 and 3, and the five-match ODI series is scheduled to begin on March 10. Their other fast-bowling options in the one-day squad include Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Rory Kleinveldt and Ryan McLaren.