Amla out of SA’s last few matches

Hashim Amla will miss the last competitive matches SA will play before the World Cup.

The stalwart batter’s father is gravely ill‚ and on Sunday he was left out of both squads named for the three T20s against Sri Lanka this week – SA’s last matches before they meet the Lankans again in a World Cup warm-up game in Cardiff on March 24.

Amla did not play in the five one-day internationals the teams contested in the past two weeks‚ but he scored 108 not out and 59 in five ODIs against Pakistan in February.

Theoretically, he could play in the Cobras’ remaining two one-day matches‚ and in two more if they reach the final.

Amla‚ who last played for SA in the third Test against Sri Lanka at St George’s Park in February and has since had a one-day outing for the Cobras‚ could also hone his game in next month’s franchise T20 tournament.

The selectors named a squad for the first T20 and another for the last two.

“The first match forms part of our vision 2019 to continue exploring our options for the World Cup‚ and the squad for that match consists largely of the squads that have been doing duty in the ODI series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka‚” convenor Linda Zondi was quoted as saying in a Cricket South Africa release.

Aiden Markram and Anrich Nortjé are in both squads and have yet to play T20 internationals‚ but the only genuine new cap is Sinethemba Qeshile‚ who is in the second group.

Wicketkeeper-batter Qeshile, 20, has scored 121 not out‚ 88 and 54 amid seven list-A innings for the Warriors this season.

“We have used our T20 matches in the past as the first port of call to widen the pool of talent‚” Zondi said.

“This has resulted in Rassie van der Dussen‚ Gihahn Cloete‚ Janneman Malan and Lutho Sipamla being brought through the pipeline with considerable success during the course of the current season.

“Qeshile had an outstanding rookie season of franchise cricket and is certainly one of the form batsmen in franchise cricket at the moment.”

He seems set to make his debut‚ what with four regular players being given a break – among them Quinton de Kock.

“JP Duminy will take over the captaincy for the last two matches while we give a short break to Faf du Plessis‚ Quinton de Kock‚ Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi who are involved across all three formats for the Proteas‚” Zondi said. –