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Former pacer Fanie de Villiers has slammed South African selectors for including "half-fit" bowlers in the national side that suffered an ignominious defeat to the visiting Englishmen in the second Test in Durban earlier this week.
"It was a big mistake," de Villiers told the Afrikaans daily Beeld as he called for those responsible for including "half-fit" Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis in the match to be hauled up.
"I don't know if it was the head of the selectors who took this decision or the senior players (captain) Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher and Kallis. I half get the idea that this group, together with the coach Mickey Arthur are in any event the guys taking the decisions," he said.
De Villiers also criticised the inclusion of Makhaya Ntini as concerns increased here among commentators that he was becoming just a political pawn in the national squad because he was the first black paceman to make it to the team.
"Friedel de Wet should have played, because he at least swings the ball and has the pace to give the English batsmen something to think about," De Villiers said.
"I don't think that he (De Wet) is the answer for the future, but at the moment he will definitely be a better choice than Ntini," he added.
Pollock backs Friedel
Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock has told selectors to axe Makhaya Ntini and bring in paceman Friedel de Wet.
De Wet's 4-55 in the First Test took the Proteas to within a whisker of victory and Pollock insists it is vital he plays in Cape Town.
"Friedel is the one guy who looked like he could run through England at some stage. To have him sit on the side again in Cape Town would be a blunder," The Mirror quoted Pollock, as saying.