BAVUMA BACK AT HELM, WHILE BREETZKE GETS MAIDEN PROTEAS TEST CALL-UP

Durban's Super Giants opener Matthew Breetzke has received his maiden Test call-up for the Proteas Men's team tour to the West Indies, while Sunrisers Eastern Cape all-rounder Marco Jansen has been rested.

Fellow Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Temba Bavuma is also back to lead the side to the Caribbean after missing the entire home international season due to injury.

Breetzke, who enjoyed a stellar Betway SA20 Season 2 where he finished third on the run-scoring charts with 416 runs at an average of 32, carried that momentum into the CSA 4-Day series.

The right-hander amassed 322 runs at an average of 46, including a top score of 188 in the premier red-ball competition.

"We have one new face in the squad, Matthew Breetzke, who is selected on the back of an excellent past season,” Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad said.

ALSO READ: Breetzke excited by Northamptonshire gig

“He gives us cover for various batting positions - he can open the batting and bat anywhere in the top order.”

SA20 Season 2’s leading run-scorer Ryan Rickelton was also recalled to the Proteas Test squad.

The MI Cape Town gloveman will provide wicket-keeping cover for Pretoria Capitals’ Kyle Verreynne.

“Ricks was always going to be part of the enlarged squad as the next batter up and the keeper that challenges Kyle Verreynne,” Conrad said.

Meanwhile, Jansen’s omission is due to the hectic schedule the lanky left-arm seamer has endured the last 12 months.

Jansen is currently playing for the Washington Freedom at the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.

ALSO READ: Betway SA20 stars showing their stripes in the MLC

“The decision to rest Marco Jansen was taken to allow for a conditioning period aimed at ensuring optimal physical and mental well-being given the season-long workloads,” Conrad said.

The Proteas play two Test matches against the Windies in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago next month.

Proteas Test squad against West Indies

 Temba Bavuma (captain, Sunrisers Eastern Cape), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke (Durban's Super Giants), Nandre Burger (Joburg Super Kings), Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings), Tony de Zorzi (Durban’s Super Giants), Keshav Maharaj (Durban's Super Giants), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Wiaan Mulder (Durban's Super Giants), Lungi Ngidi (Paarl Royals), Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada (MI Cape Town), Tristan Stubbs (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town), Kyle Verreynne (Pretoria Capitals).