Cape Town – Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday announced the dates and squad for the South African Emerging Squad’s upcoming series against their Sri Lanka counterparts in Pretoria and Potchefstroom from 29 June – 28 July.

The emerging side will take on their sub-continent counterparts in an extended One-Day triangular series also featuring a University Sports South Africa (USSA) side before the two teams lock horns in two four-day matches.

The majority of the matches will be played in Pretoria, at the Groenkloof Oval and the Tuks Oval, while Senwes Park in Potchefstroom will be host to the opening four-day game.

The SA Emerging squad is made up of players from the CSA National Academy, which is a programme running in a three-year cycle, aimed at the successful transition of players from senior provincial cricket into professional and international cricket.

“This programme is a hugely important part of the CSA development pipeline,” commented Vincent Barnes, CSA High Performance Manager. “We’ve approached the programme and the subsequent fixtures holistically, keeping in mind our long-term goal of improving our selection pool, producing quality, professional cricketers and possible future Proteas.

“The National Academy provides a pathway for the development of the players, with the likes of Tony de Zorzi, Sinethemba Qeshile and Raynard van Tonder having all represented the SA U19s recently and have since been a part of the National Academy, going on to breaking through in franchise cricket.

“We are very excited to be hosting Sri Lanka’s emerging side, having played them in the sub-continent last year and we are sure there will be just as much competitive cricket on display, particularly with the USSA side also involved,” Barnes concluded.

SA Emerging squad:

Tony de Zorzi (Titans), Janneman Malan (Cape Cobras), Raynard van Tonder (Knights), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Wandile Makwetu (Titans), Sinethemba Qeshile (Warriors), Sibonelo Makhanya (Dolphins), Eathan Bosch (Dolphins), Tshepang Dithole (Highveld Lions), Tladi Bokako (Cape Cobras), Nandre Burger (Cape Cobras), Kyle Simmonds (Cape Cobras), Lutho Sipamla (Warriors), Bjorn Fortuin (Highveld Lions), Jason Smith (Cape Cobras), Dayyaan Galiem (Titans)

SA Emerging Squad Inbound Tour against Sri Lanka:

June 2019                                                                                                                                                 Saturday 29: 1st One Day Match – South Africa Emerging v Sri Lanka Emerging (Groenkloof Oval)
Sunday 30: 2nd One Day Match – South Africa Emerging v USSA (Groenkloof Oval)
                                                                                                                                                                
July 2019                                                                                                                                                 Monday 1: 3rd One Day Match – Sri Lanka Emerging v USSA (Groenkloof Ova)
Thursday 4:   4th One Day Match – USSA v South Africa Emerging (Tuks Oval)
Friday 5: 5th One Day Match – USSA v Sri Lanka Emerging (Tuks Oval)
Saturday 6: 6th One Day Match – South Africa Emerging v Sri Lanka Emerging (Tuks Oval)
Tuesday 9: 7th One Day Match – Sri Lanka Emerging v USSA (Groenkloof Oval)
Wednesday 10: 8th One Day Match – Sri Lanka Emerging v South Africa Emerging (Groenkloof Oval)
Thursday 11: 9th One Day Match – USSA v South Africa Emerging (Groenkloof Oval)        
Sunday 14: Final – TBC v TBC (Tuks Oval)
Thursday 18-Sunday 21: 1st Four Day Match – South Africa Emerging v Sri Lanka Emerging (Senwes Park)
Thursday 25-Sunday 28: 2nd Four Day Match – South Africa Emerging v Sri Lanka Emerging (Tuks Oval)