South Africa take a leap of faith
In a South Africa dressing room that has tended to value experience and consistency over youth and flair, the selection of Vernon Philander and Imran Tahir to play the first Test against Australia at Newlands represents a significant departure from
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
In a South Africa dressing room that has tended to value experience and consistency over youth and flair, the selection of Vernon Philander and Imran Tahir to play the first Test against Australia at Newlands represents a significant departure from the norm, writes Telford Vice in BusinessDay.
The inclusion of Philander and Tahir marked the first time that a Proteas Test team has featured two debutants since Wayne Parnell and Ryan McLaren cracked the nod in the fourth Test against England at the Wanderers in Johannesburg last January, which was 11 Tests ago.
That, in turn, highlights a point that is particularly pertinent in the modern SA. Unlike Parnell and McLaren, Philander and Tahir are both players of colour although the latter hardly counts because he was born and raised in Pakistan.