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Proteas selection: Morris an attractive option for Oval

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Chris Morris (Getty)
Chris Morris (Getty)

London - Hashim Amla is likely to be ruled out of Sunday's Cricket World Cup clash against Bangladesh at The Oval, but injuries aside, the Proteas have another selection dilemma on their hands. 

It comes in the form of all-rounders Dwaine Pretorius and Chris Morris

With Amla having missed training on Saturday as he continues to go through the correct protocol following the blow to the head he suffered at the hands of a Jofra Archer bouncer last Thursday, David Miller looks set to be called up to the starting XI. 

That would see Aiden Markram elevated to the top of the order to open the batting alongside Quinton de Kock. 

The all-rounder selection, though, is more complex and will be taken after a closer look at the conditions. 

Sunday's match will be played on exactly the same strip that was used for Thursday's World Cup opener, and as a result the Bangladeshis are understood to be hopeful that it will take some turn. 

Even if it does, South Africa are unlikely to be bold enough to go in with two spinners and significantly shorten their already questionable batting depth. 

With Andile Phehlukwayo set to retain his place, it looks like the only decision left is whether to play Pretorius or Morris. 

Pretorius had a day to forget against England in the opener. 

His 0/42 from 7 overs was a respectable enough return, but he let himself down badly with the bat when he was run out for just a single in the clumsiest of fashion. 

It would, of course, be harsh to drop Pretorius after just one outing at the tournament, but South Africa are desperate to register a win on Sunday and they must find the right balance. 

With Dale Steyn still out injured, South Africa are short of one of their key strike bowlers, and that is where the Pretorius/Morris debate intensifies. 

Morris was not named in the initial squad and was only called up as a replacement for the injured Anrich Nortje, who was picked because of his raw pace. 

But now that Steyn has gone down too, the Proteas must surely consider Morris for Bangladesh on bowling credentials alone. 

Pretorius is accurate and does have an ability to bowl decent slower balls and cutters, but in Morris the Proteas have a bowler capable of cranking his speed up to well over 140km/h. 

It could be a serious weapon for South Africa, particularly if the wicket flattens out even more between now and 11:30 (SA time) on Sunday. 

Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi both fell flat with the new ball against England, unable to pick up any wickets in their opening spells. 

Then, when captain Faf du Plessis turned to Phehlukwayo and Pretorius, the England pair of Jason Roy and Joe Root looked largely untroubled. 

Having an aggressive impact bowler like Morris coming in at that stage may have been handy, and that might be the reason the selectors consider him strongly for Sunday. 

The concern with Morris has always been his consistency, he averages less than 20 with the bat and over 40 with the ball from his 34 ODIs and there is no doubt that his overall contribution to the national cause has been underwhelming over the years given the hype. 

Proteas management have said, though, that they will be flexible with their team selection in England and that they will choose the best side for each match based on conditions, plans for the opposition and form. 

If Morris is going to finally deliver on his promise of being a game-changer, then the sooner he gets going in the World Cup, the better. 

Letting him loose on a Bangladeshi batting line-up that has historically been more comfortable when the pace is taken off the ball seems the perfect platform.

@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ... 

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