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Bloemfontein – The inclusion of Craig Kieswetter in the English Lions cricket team has sparked concern about the number of South Africans in the country’s national cricket set-up.
National selector Geoff Miller expressed his concern about the issue after Kieswetter was included in the Lions team that will tour the United Arab Emirates.
Four South African-born players are in the English cricket side currently touring the country. They are Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Matthew Prior.
Kieswetter, a wicketkeeper from Somerset, may well soon oust Prior from the national one-day side. He will be available for England from next month onwards.
“We’ve come to a point where we will have to be careful with that (the number of South Africans in the team) and we will. I won’t say he (Kieswetter) will be the last, but we will monitor it,” Miller told the Guardian.
“Craig nevertheless meets all the requirements to be an English player. South Africa also approached him and he said that he is English and would like to play for England.”
Kieswetter, 21, was born in Johannesburg before joining Somerset and playing for the South Africa under-19 side.
Former England wicketkeeper Phil Mustard has warned that there may soon be more South African accents in the dressing room than English accents.
Former captain Paul Collingwood had said at the beginning of the England tour here that to prevent more South Africans from being taken up in the English team, the promising players at home would simply have to improve.
“It may sound a little heartless, but they’ll just have to improve and beat them (the South Africans) because there is only space for 11 players in the team,” he said.
“I don’t have any problem with it (the South Africans), as long as they qualified and did all the right things. If they are good enough and have qualified, they should be allowed to play.”
The Lions touring squad: Andrew Gale (capt, Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Michael Carberry, Michael Lumb (both Hampshire), James Taylor (Leicestershire), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Steven Davies (Surrey), Peter Trego (Somerset), James Tredwell (Kent), Adil Ra¬shid (Yorkshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Steve Kirby (Gloucestershire) and David Wainwright (Yorkshire).
Bloemfontein – The inclusion of Craig Kieswetter in the English Lions cricket team has sparked concern about the number of South Africans in the country’s national cricket set-up.
National selector Geoff Miller expressed his concern about the issue after Kieswetter was included in the Lions team that will tour the United Arab Emirates.
Four South African-born players are in the English cricket side currently touring the country. They are Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Matthew Prior.
Kieswetter, a wicketkeeper from Somerset, may well soon oust Prior from the national one-day side. He will be available for England from next month onwards.
“We’ve come to a point where we will have to be careful with that (the number of South Africans in the team) and we will. I won’t say he (Kieswetter) will be the last, but we will monitor it,” Miller told the Guardian.
“Craig nevertheless meets all the requirements to be an English player. South Africa also approached him and he said that he is English and would like to play for England.”
Kieswetter, 21, was born in Johannesburg before joining Somerset and playing for the South Africa under-19 side.
Former England wicketkeeper Phil Mustard has warned that there may soon be more South African accents in the dressing room than English accents.
Former captain Paul Collingwood had said at the beginning of the England tour here that to prevent more South Africans from being taken up in the English team, the promising players at home would simply have to improve.
“It may sound a little heartless, but they’ll just have to improve and beat them (the South Africans) because there is only space for 11 players in the team,” he said.
“I don’t have any problem with it (the South Africans), as long as they qualified and did all the right things. If they are good enough and have qualified, they should be allowed to play.”
The Lions touring squad: Andrew Gale (capt, Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Michael Carberry, Michael Lumb (both Hampshire), James Taylor (Leicestershire), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Steven Davies (Surrey), Peter Trego (Somerset), James Tredwell (Kent), Adil Ra¬shid (Yorkshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Steve Kirby (Gloucestershire) and David Wainwright (Yorkshire).
