Conrad opts for young guns

Shukri Conrad’s search for greater batting depth, particularly of the dynamic variety, led to the inclusion of youngsters Jordan Hermann, Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke in the SA A squad for the three-week trip to Sri Lanka in June.

Hermann, 21, and Brevis, who turns 20 on Saturday, fit the brief for the kind of player with the more aggressive style Conrad wants the Proteas to apply, while Breetzke, 24, has in the past few seasons provided evidence of consistency to go with his rich talent.

“The squad reflects the next crop of players emerging from our pipeline. We also rewarded those who have performed for their respective domestic teams this past summer,” Conrad said.

“The tour will provide the opportunity for those players, with the younger Proteas, to put their skills to the test in highly competitive, international conditions. It will also serve to strengthen the batting depth in the red-ball department as we build towards the Test series against India later this year.”

With the Proteas not involved in any Test cricket until the end of the year against India, the tour to Sri Lanka is vital to ensure newer Test players such as Tony de Zorzi, who will captain the team, and Gerald Coetzee, continue to get miles in their legs.

The hosts are likely to use three one-day matches to prepare their players for the ICC World Cup qualifying competition to be played in Zimbabwe, and two four-day matches.

Keegan Petersen will be keen to build some confidence, while Kyle Verreynne has the opportunity to stake a claim for a recall to the Test side after being dropped against the West Indies.

Test batsman Zubayr Hamza has been included after a doping suspension. Hamza, who has played six Tests and a single One Day International, was handed a nine-month suspension last year after testing positive for a banned substance.

Hamza had intended to take his own anti-allergy medication, but accidentally ingested his father’s heart medication, which contained the banned substance Furosemide, according to his submission to the International Cricket Council’s Integrity Unit.

The suspension ended in December after which Hamza has played in four first-class matches in SA domestic competition.*