SACA fears South Africa may lose Nel and Langeveldt

South Africa Cricket Association (SACA) chief executive Tony Irish said South Africa could lose two of its premier fast bowlers, Charl Langeveldt and Andre Nel, because of political interference in selection.

"Charl Langeveldt's request to be removed from the squad to tour India is the desperate unhappiness of a player who knows that he has been selected for this tour for quota reasons," he said.

Langeveldt, absent from the Test side since early 2006, replaced Nel, who took 13 wickets at 26.23 in the three Tests against West Indies earlier this year, under Cricket South Africa's transformation policy, which mandates at least six players of colour in a 14-man squad.

"As players we all have a good idea of when we are clearly in the running for selection and when we aren't," Langeveldt said. "You just have to look at Andre's Test record compared to mine and the fact that he has been part of all the Test match plans while I haven't played a Test match for two years.

"I have always fought for a place in the team but I don't want to be put there because of my colour. Up to now I have been very happy in my role in the ODI team and I know my value there. I'm quite upset by this now and I'm going to need a bit of time to consider my future."

Nel also expressed his unhappiness with the situation. "I'm as upset for Langes as I am for myself," he said. "We are good team-mates and I have a lot of respect for him. We are both passionate about playing for South Africa and neither of us deserves to feel like this. It is hard to just shrug it all off."

Irish reiterated SACA's stance that there should be no "veto, interference or involvement in the selection of the Proteas by anyone who is not a selector". "The players believe in the goals of transformation but all of them, black and white, are adamant that this should not be achieved by interfering in the selection of the national team," he said.

No replacement has been named as yet for Langeveldt in the squad, which arrives in India later this week.