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Steyn rested for South Africa's limited overs tour of Sri Lanka

Last updated on: July 04, 2013 21:14 IST

South Africa have decided to rest fast-bowling spearhead Dale Steyn for this month's One-Day International tour of Sri Lanka.

The paceman had injury problems in the recent ICC Champions Trophy in England, forcing him to miss the semi-final defeat by the hosts, and that has weighed heavily on the minds of the selectors with Test series coming up against Pakistan, India and Australia.

"We are resting Dale Steyn as we have a very important and crowded Test season ahead of us and we want to be absolutely certain that, as the leader of our attack, he is properly rested and fit," Cricket South Africa selection convener Andrew Hudson said in a statement on Thursday.

Test captain Graeme Smith is also out after the opening batsman had ankle surgery in May but fast bowler Morne Morkel is fit after missing most of the Champions Trophy with a groin strain.

Dale SteynYoung wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has been recalled while all-rounder David Wiese was named in the Twenty20 squad for the first time.

South Africa also announced that former spinner Claude Henderson would be mentoring the slow bowlers on an interim basis.

"Claude will be available for 100 days per year," said new coach Russell Domingo. "We have been keen to appoint a specialist spin-bowling coach for some time now particularly as we will be playing a lot of cricket in Asia in the year ahead."

Henderson is playing his last season of first-class cricket for English county Leicestershire before retiring.

Adrian Birrell, who led Ireland to the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, has also been named as assistant coach to Domingo.

South Africa will play five 50-over matches and three Twenty20s in Sri Lanka between July 20 and August 6, the first series since Domingo replaced Gary Kirsten as coach.

One-Day squad: AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Twenty20 squad: Faf du Plessis, Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, David Wiese.

Photograph: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Source: REUTERS
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