Phangiso feels like SA’s forgotten man

LIONS and Proteas spinner Aaron Phangiso is surprised he keeps being overlooked by national selectors with the Champions Trophy to be held in England and Wales less than four months away.

Phangiso‚ who has played 21 ODIs for the Proteas‚ where he has taken 26 wickets between 2013 and 2016‚ was surprisingly left out of SA’s one-day side that whitewashed Sri Lanka 5-0.

He was again not selected for the outgoing tour of New Zealand where the Proteas are scheduled to play five ODIs Down Under to fuel suggestions that his career with the senior national side in this format may have come to the end.

His last appearance for the Proteas in the ODI format was during the fourth match of the 5-0 series whitewash over Australia at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth in October where he claimed two wickets in 4.4 overs.

“I would like to get back to the Proteas and that means I must produce the required results at domestic level.

“It is a bit surprising not to be picked but there are higher people who want to look at other people‚” he said at a Lions practice session yesterday as they prepared for their Momentum One-Day Cup opener against the Warriors at Wanderers on Sunday.

Left-arm spinners are crucial in ODI cricket because of their ability to contain batsmen in the middleovers and take crucial wickets‚ and Phangiso does not understand the reasons for his snub.

“Obviously‚ Imran Tahir is doing a wonderful job for the country because he is a quality bowler. He has proven himself and selectors around the world tend to look for mystery spinners‚ forgetting that you still have your normal right and left-arm off-spinners who can do the job‚” said Phangiso.

“Right and left-arm spinners tend to be more consistent in the areas that they bowl. We may not be able to bowl six different balls in an over. We can control the middle period‚ but people tend to go for wrist spinners.

“If that is the way forward‚ so be it – my focus is on the Lions at the moment and the Momentum OneDay Cup‚” said Phangiso.

Earlier this season‚ Lions coach Geoffrey Toyana entrusted Phangiso with the responsibility of leading the T20 side.

“I have enjoyed leading the team in the T20 competition and hopefully I will be given the responsibly again‚” he said.” — TMG