Amla to drop down order

Hashim Amla appears to have lost his starting place at the top of the Proteas ODI line-up with the World Cup a few months away.

Amla‚ who has played in 174 ODIs and scored 7,910 runs at an average of 49.74‚ has largely opened the batting with Quinton de Kock, but loss of form and the emergence of Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen have put his place in jeopardy.

The once indispensable batting mainstay was not part of the Proteas squad that started with an eightwicket win against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg on Sunday, and it remains to be seem if he will be recalled for the last two matches.

SA’s top five in Sunday’s win against Sri Lanka included De Kock‚ Hendricks‚ Du Plessis‚ Van Der Dussen and David Miller‚ who did not get a chance to bat as the Proteas successfully chased down the 232 target they were set inside 39 overs.

Captain Du Plessis said Amla remains one of the most experienced campaigners in the team, but competition for places has become fierce at the top of the batting order.

“If you look at the guys at the moment‚ Reeza and Rassie have had a fantastic season‚” he said.

Middle-order batsman JP Duminy is another senior player whose place is under threat, and he has been out of action recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in his last ODI appearance against Zimbabwe in October last year.

Duminy is likely to be recalled for the remaining two matches.

There is then also the possibility of Test opener Aiden Markram‚ who played his last ODI against Australia in Hobart last year‚ getting another opportunity to add more experience to his 16 matches.