Paterson, Baartman named in SA A squad for tour of England

The squad will play two four-day matches in England from May 22 and will be led by batter Marques Ackermann

Experienced seamers Dane Paterson and Ottneil Baartman and newcomer Nqobani Mokoena headline South Africa A's squad to play against the England Lions this winter. The squad will play two four-day matches in England from May 22 and will be led by batter Marques Ackermann and coached by South Africa's white-ball fielding coach Wandile Gwavu. Former internationals Justin Ontong and Rory Kleinveldt have been named batting and bowling coach respectively.

Paterson has not played a Test since he was part of the XI that qualified South Africa for the World Test Championship final in the Boxing Day match of 2024. He was in the squad for the match at Lord's but did not make the final XI and was not included on South Africa's away tours to Pakistan and India. At 37 and without a national contract, it appeared his international career could be over but with an eight-Test home summer, Paterson is back in the fold.

Likewise, Baartman, who is 33 and controversially missed out on the T20 World Cup squad, has been given an opportunity to push for a Test place. Both Baartman and 19-year old tearaway Mokoena, who has three T20I caps to his name, are also in the SA A one-day squad that will play three matches after the red-ball games. They are joined by Kwena Maphaka and Gerald Coetzee for the one-day games.

In the batting department, Tony de Zorzi, who has returned from an injury that ruled him out of the T20 World Cup, is in both squads. Jason Smith, who was in the T20 World Cup squad but only played one game, will also get an opportunity alongide the Hermann brothers, Jordan and Rubin, and Sinethemba Qeshile and Lesego Senokwane, who are both close to but have not been in the national squad. South Africa's Test side has a fairly settled batting line-up but this tour is aimed at creating depth ahead of a big season.

The one-day squad has two familiar batting names: Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Connor Esterhuizen, both of whom are currently at the IPL. Pretorius has already played for South Africa in all formats while Esterhuizen made an impressive T20I debut in New Zealand, where he was the leading run-scorer.

South Africa A will play two four-day games at Arundel, where they prepared for the WTC final, and Beckenham with the white-ball matches scheduled for Leicester and Worcester.

South Africa A Four-Day Squad: Marques Ackerman, Ottneil Baartman, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Zubayr Hamza, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, Nqobani Mokoena, Dane Paterson, Sinethemba Qeshile, Lesego Senokwane, Jason Smith Prenelan Subrayen, Tiaan van Vuuren, Codi Yusuf

South Africa A One-Day squad: Marques Ackerman, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Kwena Maphaka, Nqobani Mokoena, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile, Jason Smith, Prenelan Subrayen