Proteas turn to youth

South Africa have rested Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini and selected all rounder Wayne Parnell and paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe for Friday nights clash with Australia despite if they win it will gain promote them to the number 1 ranking in ODI’s.

The youngsters, aged 19 and 24 respectively will be keen to impress selectors during the 5th ODI at the WACA and keep their position in the squad when Australia tour later this year in February-April.

Both Parnell and Tsotsobe played a Twenty20 against Australia before the One Day series commenced and had a taste of international cricket. Parnell’s 4 wicket less over’s went for 44 and Tsotsobe’s 2 over’s picked up a wicket and went for 16 runs.
Jacques Kallis will take a well earned break to rest his side strain if batsmen Vaughn van Jaarsveld pass a fitness test on his troublesome ankle. South African bowling coach Vinnie Barns did concede that if the series was 2 all Ntini and Steyn would have played. He also said that because they were not participating in this match didn’t mean that the Proteas were treating it as a practice match; rather they are blooding youngsters and looking to the future.

"It's just part of our rotation policy,'' Barnes said. “We are looking long-term. We have to rest players, we are committed to that.”

"We are not going to go into Friday's game thinking about losing or taking it as an ordinary game, there's a huge commitment from everybody,” he said. "We've got a couple of young players coming in who want to make an impact and secure their future so Friday night's game is as important as the game we've just played.''
He also mentioned that the South Africans didn’t want to give the Australians any ‘breathing space’ and not give Australia any momentum coming in to their tour next month.

Regular vice-captain Michael Clarke and left arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken return to the Australian side in place of Ryan Harris and Nathan Hauritz as Australia look to finish the series off on a positive note.