Piedt surprised by Proteas call-up

Cape Town - Proteas off-spinner Dane Piedt says he was surprised when he answered the Proteas' SOS-call to join the squad for the third Test in New Zealand.

Piedt, 27, received the good news while he was on the golf course at Pearl Valley on Monday.

He is expected to join the squad during the second Test match in Wellington, subject to his visa clearance.

Piedt, who has played seven Tests, will possibly return for the Proteas in the third Test against the Black Caps at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

He has taken 24 Test wickets for the Proteas with his last Test played against New Zealand in Centurion last year November.

"I was taken by surprise," Piedt said about the call to strengthen the slow bowling resources of South Africa on turning wickets in New Zealand.

The Cape Cobras skipper boasts 282 wickets in 80 first-class games and took 28 wickets in the recently concluded Sunfoil Series with an economy rate of 3.24.

In the ongoing One-Day Cup series, his economy rate of 5.29 on batsmen-friendly wickets has been sound.

"I think my battle plan would be to keep it as basic as possible," he said.

Piedt can turn it quite prodigiously, but what has makes him a tough customer is his ability to bowl the carrom ball.

It is a part of his weaponry that he has utilised, notably in 2013/2014 when he took 45 Sunfoil Series wickets in eight matches for the Cobras.

"Yes, I will be able to call on the carrom ball if the situation requires it," Piedt said.

"The team's interests come first."

Asked about his bowling in the One-Day Cup campaign, the Cobras skipper said he bowled a disciplined spell on Sunday in their losing match against the Warriors, as he conceded 41 runs in 10 tidy overs.

The national selectors have opted for Piedt instead of Tabraiz Shamsi, who was preferred to him for the Test series against Australia Down Under.

Piedt made his debut for South Africa against Zimbabwe in 2014 and finished with 8/152.

The third Test match between the Black Caps and the Proteas starts at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday, March 25.