Boje left out of Champions Trophy squad

CAPE TOWN: Nicky Boje has been left out of South Africa's Champion's Trophy squad, which will play in India in October-November. This is despite the fact that he stated his availability to play in India.

 

Boje, along with Herschelle Gibbs, had opted out, for fear of being detained by the police in India, but had stated willingness to co-operate with the Indian authorities. Gibbs was selected.

 

Gibbs and Boje were mentioned in the match-fixing investigation by the Delhi police, who busted the scandal in 2000 after tapping telephone conversations of the late South African captain, Hansie Cronje.

 

Robin Petersen is the lone specialist spinner in the squad that will see the return of Graeme Smith as captain.

 

"With several of our key players needing to pass fitness tests before they can be considered for selection, we had little choice but to select a larger than usual squad," selectors' convenor Haroon Lorgat said.

 

Smith, vice-captain Jacques Kallis, pacer Charl Langeveldt and all-rounder Justin Kemp, who missed out on the Sri Lanka tour last month due to injuries, have been included.

 

Except for Smith, the other three will have to clear a fitness test on September 12.

 

The South Africans will play a three-match one-day series against Zimbabwe that will serve as a tune-up to the 10-nation event.

 

"We will use the games against Zimbabwe and the ICC Champions Trophy as a preparation for the ICC World Cup and to settle on our final combinations," Lorgat said.

The South African squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Jacques Kallis, Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher (wk), AB de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Robin Peterson; Additional players to play Zimbabwe: JP Duminy, Alviro Peterson, Roger Telemachus, Johan van der Wath