McLaren replaces injured Albie Morkel

Ryan McLaren, the South Africa allrounder, has been called in to replace the injured Albie Morkel for the two-match Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe over the weekend. Morkel picked up a side strain while playing for Chennai Super Kings in their run to the Champions League Twenty20 title last month.

"We are anticipating that Albie will be fit in time to take his place in the three-match ODI series that starts next week," selection convener Andrew Hudson said.

McLaren, 27, was part of the side during their last Twenty20 assignment - two matches during the tour of West Indies in May, and took a five-wicket haul in the first of those matches. He was surprisingly overlooked when the squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe series was announced.

Since he made his international debut last November, McLaren has fared well for South Africa, being named the Newcomer of the Year at the 2010 SA Cricket Awards in July. He gave up his Kolpak status last year, thus making himself available for national selection. He was called up for South Africa's ODI squad to face Kenya and Bangladesh in October 2008 but English county Kent refused to release him.