Despite injury, De Kock set for World Cup selection

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Cape Town

RED tape will not get in the way of Quinton de Kock’s inclusion in SA’s World Cup squad, which will be announced in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Previously, the International Cricket Council would not allow teams to replace players in the squad if they were known to be injured when they were picked and were subsequently ruled out.

Now, a medical certificate is all that is required to make an injured player’s place available again. That means SA can pick De Kock knowing they will not be a man short in the squad if he does not make the grade.

De Kock tore ankle ligaments during the first test against West Indies at Centurion on December 19 and could take up to 12 weeks to recover - or the end of the second week of March if the worst case scenario comes true. By then, SA will have played all six of their group matches.

However, De Kock’s latest prognosis is that he will miss the first two weeks of the tournament. That would mean SA will have to do without him against Zimbabwe in Hamilton on February 15 and against India in Melbourne on the 22nd.

De Kock’s form after spending several weeks off his feet is a different discussion. But that debate is likely to be decided by the sheer size of his talent.

In fact, De Kock’s presence in his training gear at Newlands on Tuesday is a strong indication that he will be among the 15 names Andrew Hudson reads out today.

“It would have been good for him to get some game time before the tournament, so it’s a tough one,” former selection convenor Mike Procter said on Tuesday. “But I would lean towards picking him.”

Should De Kock break down at the World Cup, SA would not have to look far for a wicketkeeper what with AB de Villiers a certainty for selection.

But replacing De Kock at the top of the order would be more complicated. That means Morne van Wyk, a straight swap for De Kock as a wicketkeeper and an opening batsman, remains a good bet to crack the nod. If a spare batsman is the choice, Reeza Hendricks could find himself on the way to the World Cup.

SA’s other major injury concern is JP Duminy, who has not played since November because of an ongoing knee condition. However, Duminy is in SA’s squad for the T20 series against West Indies that starts in Cape Town on Friday.

“One percent of the players in the squad have probably taken up 99% of the selectors’ discussions,” former SA batsman Boeta Dippenaar said on Tuesday. “Players like Wayne Parnell, Ryan McLaren, Farhaan Behardien, Robin Peterson and Aaron Phangiso will have been discussed in detail.

“I would pick McLaren ahead of Parnell because he has had success at international level, while the selectors have shown in the past that they are leaning towards Phangiso.”

McLaren struggled after returning from a broken arm inflicted by Mitchell Johnson in September but has scored unbeaten centuries in his last two first-class matches. Parnell, meanwhile, scored 74 not out and took match figures of 3/96 in his last game, also in the first-class format.