PACEMAN RETURNS

Steyn returns to long-form cricket

by Tristan Holme • Published on

Steyn and Morris will be looking to prove their fitness in the longer format ahead of the one-off Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe. © Getty

Dale Steynwill return to long-form cricket for the first time in over a year when a South African Invitational XI hosts Zimbabwe for a three-day day-night match in Paarl on December 20. Steyn is one of four Proteas players, alongside AB de Villiers, Chris Morris and Temba Bavuma, to be named in the side.

Steyn and Morris will be looking to prove their fitness in the longer format ahead of the one-off Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth on Boxing Day. Both have been involved in the Titans' Ram Slam T20 campaign, but are yet to play a multi-day match since coming through their respective injuries.

Meanwhile, de Villiers has played just one first-class match since taking more than a year and a half out of the longer format, and has been given an opportunity to press his case for inclusion in a batting line-up that scored plenty of runs in the two-match series against Bangladesh. The one batsman who failed to make a hundred in the series, Bavuma, will hope to have more time in the middle in the warm-up against Zimbabwe.

"Chris and Dale both missed the first five rounds of the Sunfoil Series through injury while AB was only available for one match," said South Africa's selection convener Linda Zondi on Tuesday (December 5). "This is an ideal opportunity for all three to get back into the multi-day arena.

"Temba only got limited batting time during the Test series against Bangladesh because of the dominance of our top order and we feel he will benefit from spending more time in the middle."

The remainder of the squad for what will be the first multi-day day-night match in South Africa has been selected from franchise and provincial players.

"These matches also provide opportunities to explore our talent development pipeline. We were very pleased with the way a similar squad performed against Bangladesh when they managed to lead on the first innings with Michael Cohen, Shaun von Berg and Zubayr Hamza being among those who excelled and they will all get another opportunity," added Zondi.

SA Invitation XI squad:Dominic Hendricks (capt), Temba Bavuma, Tladi Bokako, Michael Cohen, AB de Villiers, Isaac Dikgale, Leus du Plooy, Zubayr Hamza, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rapulana, Kelly Smuts, Dale Steyn, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Shaun von Berg, Lizaad Williams.

© Cricbuzz

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