Sports Minister adresses SA selection committee

The meeting today of the National Selection committee was addressed by the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Ngconde Balfour, UCBSA President Percy Sonn and UCBSA CEO Gerald Majola. The meeting discussed selection policies for the 2001/2 season, as well as a long-term plan for the SA National team and the SA 'A' team.

In terms of this long-term plan the SA 'A' team will be selected on the same basis as the national team and its role will be to feed players into the national squad. Both teams will be selected on merit, but with a minimum of one player of colour in each team that takes the field.

"With the provincial quotas having been increased to three players of colour per team this coming season, I believe we will have enough quality players to choose from for these two top national teams to be chosen on merit and yet still be representative of South African society," said CEO Gerald Majola today. "The foundation of cricket - in schools and in the provinces - is solid so we are in a fortunate position now to be able to pick our best teams on merit and still ensure that they represent our country," Majola added.

The SA 'A' team will be the country's second-best team. A five-year tour programme is to be arranged for the SA 'A' team beginning with a tour by India to South Africa in April 2002, followed by a tour by Australia 'A' later that year. Tours will be arranged on a home-and-away basis with the aim of giving South Africa 'A' players experience in all conditions. The SA 'A' team will also play against all teams which tour South Africa. To ensure that promising young players are also given the opportunity to play against high-quality opposition, a Presidents XI will be selected to play at least two matches per incoming tour.

Members of the National Selection committee have agreed to sign the same declarations of confidentiality and anti-corruption as those that were signed by the members of the General Council earlier this month.

The UCBSA has taken note of concerns about the safety of South Africans in Zimbabwe and has asked the Government to brief them on the situation. However at this stage, the Zimbabwe tour is on and will only be called off on the advice of either the Zimbabwe Cricket Union or the South African Government.

The Minister attended the meeting to be briefed on UCBSA selection policies and assured the selectors of his Government's continued support for cricket in South Africa. The Minister, Adv Sonn and Mr Majola then left the selection committee to choose the squad for the tour to Zimbabwe, which is scheduled to begin on September 5.

Daryll Cullinan was not available for selection because he is carrying a knee injury and is currently coaching in English county Kent. He has indicated to Gerald Majola that he would like to re-negotiate his contract with the UCBSA on his return. Mfuneko Ngam (shoulder) and Nicky Boje (shoulder and knee) were not considered for the tour to Zimbabwe as they are still recuperating from injury.

SQUAD FOR SA TOUR TO ZIMBABWE (To play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals)

The following squad was announced today by the convener of National Selectors, Rushdi Magiet:

Test Squad: Shaun Pollock (captain) - KwaZulu-Natal Mark Boucher (vice-captain) - Border Allan Donald - Free State Boeta Dippenaar - Free State Herschelle Gibbs - Western Province Jacques Kallis - Western Province Justin Kemp - Eastern Province Gary Kirsten - Western Province Lance Klusener - KwaZulu-Natal Claude Henderson - Western Province Neil McKenzie - Northerns Andre Nel - Easterns Makhaya Ntini - Border

Included in the squad for the First One-Day International (23 September): Justin Ontong - Boland Jonty Rhodes - KwaZulu-Natal

Coach: Graham Ford Assistant Coach: Corrie van Zyl Manager: Goolam Rajah Physiotherapist: Craig Smith

The National Selection Committee will meet on 24 September to choose the team for the second and third One-Day Internationals (29 and 30 September) and the South Africa 'A' team to play India on 3 October.