Cricket South Africa (CSA) called up Alviro Petersen of the bizhub Highveld Lions to replace the injured Graeme Smith in the Proteas squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales next month.
Peterson’s inclusion has been approved by the event technical committee in terms of ICC protocol governing the replacement of injured players in the originally selected squad.
“We have decided on a like-for-like replacement,” said CSA selection convener Andrew Hudson, “and Alviro is the obvious choice in this regard.
“He is a specialist opening batsman and also brings some very useful experience on board following the loss of both Smith and Jacques Kallis.
“In addition he is in the form of his life, having made almost 500 runs in three England County Championship Division One matches for Somerset, including two centuries, at an average in the high 80s.
“With the tournament being played early in the England summer we envisage that bowling conditions will favour the seamers and getting good partnerships going up front is going to be paramount to success. He handled these conditions extremely well during our Test tour to England last year.”
Petersen played the most recent of his 17 ODI’s against Sri Lanka at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in January last year.
Squad:
AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans, capt), Hashim Amla (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Farhaan Behardien (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Faf du Plessis (Nashua Titans), Colin Ingram (Chevrolet Warriors), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Ryan McLaren (Chevrolet Knights), David Miller (Sunfoil Dolphins), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Robbie Peterson (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Aaron Phangiso (bizhub Highveld Lions), Dale Steyn (Nashua Mobile Cape Cobras), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (bizhub Highveld Lions)
