CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA today reduced their provisional squad of 30 players down to a short list of 18 for the ICC World Twenty20 to be played in the West Indies from the end of next month.

The final squad of 15 will be named on March 30.

CSA also named the Castle Test and Standard Bank ODI squads for the tours of the West Indies in May and June that follow the World Twenty20 as well as the South Africa A one-day and four-day squads for their tour of Sri Lanka in April.

Rusty Theron, who has impressed in helping the Chevrolet Warriors to the Standard Bank Domestic Pro20 title, is the only uncapped player in the reduced squad. The squad also includes Justin Kemp and Vernon Philander, both of the Nashua Cape Cobras, who have not represented the Proteas since the 2007 tour of Pakistan and the 2008 tour of England respectively.

The Test squad for the tour of the West Indies is unchanged from the group that did duty on the tour of India.

Herschelle Gibbs and Albie Morkel drop out of the ODI squad that did duty in India while Graeme Smith returns from injury and Ryan McLaren is called up as an all-rounder.

The South African A squad is the youngest that has probably ever been fielded particularly in the batting department but is an accurate reflection of form both in the SuperSport Series and the MTN40 this season.

Players promoted to this level for the first time include Colin Ingram, Stiaan van Zyl, David Miller, Rilee Rossouw and Jonathan Vandiar. The latter two are in their first season out of the under-19 ranks while Miller is only one year older. Van Zyl and Rossouw both played for the emerging squad last winter as Vandiar would have done but for injury.

There is also a change in the leadership of this group with Thami Tsolekile being recognised for his inspirational captaincy that took the Lions to the final of the Standard Bank Domestic Pro20.

“Our aim at the moment is to build formidable squads both for the approaching World Twenty20 as well as for the World Cup next year,” commented coach Corrie van Zyl who was involved in the selection process for the first time. “An important part of this is to achieve consistency on the field and an important contribution to that will be to be consistent in the selection process as well.

“This may involve changing the starting XI as we play against different opponents under differing conditions.

“The door is not closed on any individual as far as future selection is concerned,” he added. “But we believe that the combinations we have are the best to suit our purposes at the moment.”

Proteas’ Standard Bank Pro20 squad (for ICC World Twenty20): Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras, capt), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors, vice-capt), Lungile Bosman (Nashua Dolphins), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Herschelle Gibbs (Nashua Cape Cobras), Justin Kemp (Nashua Cape Cobras), Charl Langeveldt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Ryan McLaren (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Albie Morkel (Nashua Titans), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Vernon Philander (Nashua Cape Cobras), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Juan Theron (Chevrolet Warriors), Roelof van der Merwe (Nashua Titans).

Proteas’ Standard Bank ODI squad (for West Indies tour): Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras, capt), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors, vice-capt), Hashim Amla (Nashua Dolphins), Lungile Bosman (Nashua Dolphins), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Charl Langeveldt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Ryan McLaren (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Chevrolet Warriors), Roelof van der Merwe (Nashua Titans).

Proteas’ Castle Test squad (for West Indies tour): Graeme Smith (Nashua Cape Cobras, capt), Jacques Kallis (Chevrolet Warriors, vice-capt), Hashim Amla (Nashua Dolphins), Johan Botha (Chevrolet Warriors), Mark Boucher (Chevrolet Warriors), AB de Villiers (Nashua Titans), JP Duminy (Nashua Cape Cobras), Paul Harris (Nashua Titans), Ryan McLaren (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Morne Morkel (Nashua Titans), Wayne Parnell (Chevrolet Warriors), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Ashwell Prince (Chevrolet Warriors), Dale Steyn (Nashua Titans), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Chevrolet Warriors).

South Africa A four-day squad (for Sri Lanka tour): Thami Tsolekile (bizhub Highveld Lions, capt), Dean Elgar (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Quinton Friend (Nashua Dolphins), Paul Harris (Nashua Titans), Heino Kuhn (Nashua Titans), Ethy Mbhalati (Nashua Titans), Alviro Petersen (bizhub Highveld Lions), Vernon Philander (Nashua Cape Cobras), Rilee Rossouw (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Thandi Tshabalala (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Chevrolet Warriors), Johannes van der Wath (Diamond Eagles), Jonathan Vandiar (bizhub Highveld Lions), Stiaan van Zyl (Nashua Cape Cobras).

South Africa A one-day squad (for Sri Lanka tour): Thami Tsolekile (bizhub Highveld Lions, capt), Ryan Bailey (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Paul Harris (Nashua Titans), Colin Ingram (Chevrolet Warriors), Rory Kleinveldt (Nashua Cape Cobras), Ethy Mbhalati (Nashua Titans), David Miller (Nashua Dolphins), Vernon Philander (Nashua Cape Cobras), Rilee Rossouw (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Thandi Tshabalala (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Lonwabo Tsotsobe (Chevrolet Warriors), Jonathan Vandiar (bizhub Highveld Lions), Johannes van der Wath (Diamond Eagles), Morne van Wyk (Chevrolet Diamond Eagles), Stiaan van Zyl (Nashua Cape Cobras). - CSA