Morkel picks 6 Proteas in his best ever XI

Cape Town - Former Proteas fast bowler Morne Morkel has revealed his best-ever cricket XI, with a whopping six South Africans picked in his team.

Morkel named his all-time XI on the Lord's Cricket YouTube channel with the criteria being that he had to have played with or against them, or have been strongly influenced by the players chosen.

The 34-year-old selected a modern starting line-up of cricketers he has played with and against in his 12-years of international cricket.

Graeme Smith opened Morkel's starting XI and was named captain of his side, which Morkel added by saying, "he is the best captain that I personally have played under".

Smith played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs and 33 T20I for South Africa before retiring in March 2014.

Hashim Amla and former Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis slotted in at No 3 and 4.

Morkel lauded "King" Kallis: "He's going to be the guy that's going to break the bowling attack mentally, bat his time and also he has the danger with the ball (in hand).

Kallis, who retired from international cricket in 2014, played 166 Tests for South Africa scoring 13 289 runs and taking 292 wickets in the process.

Former Proteas star batsman AB de Villiers slotted in the middle-order and was also dubbed as wicketkeeper for Morkel's side.

De Villiers, who announced his retirement from international cricket last year, played 114 Tests for the Proteas and scored 8 765 runs with an average of 50.66.

Morkel rounded off his list with South Africa's lethal fast pace duo of Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn.

Morkel, who currently plies his trade in Surrey, has played 86 Tests for South Africa and took 309 wickets after retiring from international cricket last year.

Morne Morkel's all-time XI:

Graeme Smith (captain - South Africa), David Warner (Australia), Hashim Amla (South Africa), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Virat Kohli (India), Kevin Pietersen (England), AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper - South Africa), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Pat Cummins (Australia), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Dale Steyn (South Africa)