South Africa reveal World Cup cricket hand

The South African cricket selectors have revealed their likely World Cup hand when they announced a 15-man squad for a five-match, one-day international series against Pakistan starting at Centurion Sunday.

The One-day international squad is as follows: Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis (vice-captain), Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Roger Telemachus.

Thirteen of the players, including five black cricketers, were generally regarded as automatic choices. The remaining two places went to Loots Bosman and Roger Telemachus who could both be regarded as marginal choices:

• Bosman, who has played in seven one-day internationals with modest success, was picked as an extra batsman ahead of the experienced Boeta Dippenaar, who was man of the series when South Africa won a one-day series against the West Indies in the Caribbean two seasons ago, form player Morne van Wyk and fellow black players Alviro Petersen and JP Duminy. Read more about this reported selection flaw here. (Ross, any comments?)
• Telemachus, 33, is renowned as a tough competitor. He has played in 37 one-day internationals and gained the extra bowler's position ahead of in-form fellow black player Alfonso Thomas and white bowlers Dale Steyn and Johan van der Wath.

Click here to read more about the controversial selection of the SA squad.