Hudson retained as convener of selectors

Andrew Hudson, former South Africa batsman, has been reappointed as convener of the national selection committee, which also includes the incumbent Shafiek Abrahams and new members Linda Zondi, a former KwaZulu-Natal wicketkeeper, and Hussein Manack, a former Gauteng allrounder. Russell Domingo, South Africa's head coach, is an ex officio appointment on the panel that will serve until the 2015 World Cup.

CSA high performance manager Vincent Barnes and transformation manager Max Jordaan will also serve on the committee in a non-voting capacity. Barnes and Corrie van Zyl were released from the panel to make way for Zondi and Manack.

"The board felt the need for a stronger independent component to the selection committee," CSA's acting chief executive Naasei Appiah said. "The previous panel had a majority of members who were employed by CSA. The national coach is the only voting member of the new panel who is employed by CSA.

"As part of their mandate, there will have to be a selector on duty at all franchise matches in all the different competitions. Linda Zondi is succeeding Shafiek Abrahams as convener of the national Under-19 panel and he will have a key role to play as the Under-19 group is a vital area of our talent catchment area."

Zondi, a former first-class wicketkeeper, has been involved with Kwa-Zulu Natal's development program, and has worked with the national Under-19 side. He was among the three black African candidates who were in the running to be nominated to the panel.

Maneck, the other appointee, played first-class cricket for Gauteng (formerly Transvaal) and was one of the non-playing members of South Arica's inaugural post-readmission tour to India in 1992. He has served on the Gauteng Cricket Board and is a selector at the Lions - the franchise which won the domestic T20 cup, shared the one-day cup, and finished second in the first-class competition.

Van Zyl, who was released from the panel, was appointed selector in 2010, when he was also the interim coach of the South Africa team. After Gary Kirsten took over as coach in 2011, van Zyl moved on to the high-performance program and stayed on as selector. Barnes, who will serve on the committee in a non-voting capacity, was appointed to the panel in June 2011.

Hudson, who was first appointed convenor of selectors in 2010, will lead the new panel in their first assignment to pick the South Africa team for the series against Pakistan in October. The tour begins on October 14 in the UAE, and consists of two Tests, five ODIs and two T20s.