Elworthy overlooked for ICC Champions Throphy

Steve Elworthy has once again been overlooked by the national selectors as they put together the South African squad for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy to be played in Sri Lanka starting on 12 September.

Elworthy who holds a UCBSA contract and who trained with the South African squad that went to Morocco was omitted from the touring party in favour of Alan Dawson coming in for Western Province teammate of Roger Telemachus. Dawson who has played 4 one-day internationals for South Africa is a medium pace bowler that swings the ball away and might be effective on the slower Sri Lankan pitches.

Telemachus has been withdrawn from the squad as a precautionary measure for medical reasons. "Roger will see a doctor on Friday, but as a precaution we have decided to withdraw him from the squad," said the convenor of national selectors, Omar Henry, today.

Gary Kirsten has also been dropped from the squad, opening the doors for the KwaZulu-Natal captain Dale Benkenstein. Benkenstein at 28 years of age has played in 20 one-day internationals his last being at Sharjah in March 2000. Benkenstein at one stage was rumoured to take over the captaincy roll from Hansie Cronje is a middle order specialist with an average of 19.73 and a highest score of 69.

Gary Kirsten has been included in the South African A squad who meet Australia A in seven one-day matches starting in Potchefstroom on Wednesday 4 September. "We feel that Gary has a better chance of batting his way back into the mainstream playing in home conditions against Australia A than he would in Sri Lanka," Henry said.

"Both of these players (Dawson and Benkenstein) have a proven track record in the sub-continent and we believe they will be very well suited to the conditions in Sri Lanka," Henry said. He added: "There were other players who came into the picture, like Steve Elworthy and Neil McKenzie, but we preferred to keep them here in South Africa to be able to better measure them against Australia A."

For the rest the team picked itself. Neil Dippenaar played well enough in Morocco to establish himself in the team, while Justin Ontong has been given another chance to settle into international cricket. Makhaya Ntini can only improve from his Morocco showing.

The full South African squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 is:

Shaun Pollock (captain) KwaZulu-Natal
Dale Benkenstein KwaZulu-Natal
Nicky Boje Free State
Mark Boucher Border
Alan Dawson Western Province
Boeta Dippenaar Free State
Allan Donald Free State
Herschelle Gibbs Western Province
Jacques Kallis Western Province
Lance Klusener KwaZulu-Natal
Makhaya Ntini Border
Justin Ontong Boland
Jonty Rhodes KwaZulu-Natal
Graeme Smith Western Province