ODI debuts for Sipamla, Smuts as Proteas bowl first at Newlands

Warriors duo Lutho Sipamla and Jon-Jon Smuts will play their first One Day International (ODI) for South Africa in the first match against England at Newlands on Tuesday.

The Proteas won the toss and elected to field, with captain Quinton de Kock announcing two debuts in a refreshed squad that will take on the reigning world champions.

South Africa and England hand out two debuts apiece in first ODI

Included in the team is fast bowler Sipamla, who has featured in the green and gold in T20 Internationals on five occasions, taking five wickets.

The 21-year-old played for the Tshwane Spartans in the recent Mzansi Super League T20, helping them to the final where they lost to the Paarl Rocks.

He is joined by in the team by his teammate at franchise level Smuts who, like him, has played in the shortest format of the game for South Africa, where he has earned eight caps.

Smuts returns to the fold after making the trip to India in 2019, only to be sent back before the start of the three-match T20I series due to fitness issues.

He was recently enrolled into a high-performance program along with fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi and Sisanda Magala, as well as spinner Tabraiz Shamsi.

The Titans quick also makes a comeback, spearheading the attack in the absence of the rested Kagiso Rabada, while Shamsi steps in as the main specialist spinner after Imran Tahir’s retirement.

Also returning to the ODI setup is batsman Temba Bavuma, who has been penciled in to bat at 3 – adding to his two matches in the format – while Lions teammate Reeza Hendricks is also back in after narrowly missing out on a world cup spot last year.

England have also made a few changes of their own, bringing in a few fresh faces from the team that conquered the world on home soil.

Young batsman Tom Banton is another player making his ODI debut after starting life as an international in the shortest format, and comes in alongside Matt Parkinson who also has a couple of T20Is under his belt.

There was no place for World Cup hero Ben Stokes, who has been rested for the match, while wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler was also not included.

South Africa vs England teams 

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Jon-Jon Smuts, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.

England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (captain), Joe Denly, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Matt Parkinson.