SA fast bowler Andre Nel has most likely played his last game for his country as politics, through the system of targets, forced his exclusion from the tour of India later this month.
It could lead him quitting South Africa before the tour of England later this year and instead, find him playing under a Kolpak contract that will end his international career.
Andre Nel, who devastated the Bangladesh batting in the second ODI of the series on Wednesday, was a reluctant member of the side for the game, taking 4-29 as the tourists won the game by seven wickets and a 2-0 lead in the three match series.
Upset and angry at being dropped from the three-match Test tour of India later this month, Nel's place in the side for the India tour has been filled by Charl Langeveldt, who is three years older and largely an untried competitor in Indian conditions.
In a career of six Tests Langeveldt has earned 16 wickets at 37.08, hardly the credentials to worry the Indian batting opposition. While he picked up three wickets in the second game against Bangladesh on Wednesday, he was bowling in a slipstream created by Nel's pace.
Langeveldt is seen more as a ODI competitor than a Test bowler, but the team, announced late Tuesday, also excludes an out-of-form Herschelle Gibbs.
Nel's ditching highlights the sort of politics that Cricket South Africa are now prepared to dabble in with their players in what is a crucial tour. But officials such as Cricket South Africa's President, Norman Arendse is not bothered by the future of such players as Nel.
As the rangy 30-year-old East Rand fast bowler is not of the books of teams in either the Indian Premier League or the unofficial Indian Cricket League, he could look for an ICL contract as well as a Kolpak deal.
His axing makes him the first victim of a deliberate revenge tactic employed by certain political circles within South Africa that have been interfering with team selection policy. They want to change the colour of the South African side before the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent.
Nel was seen in animated conversation with team coach Mickey Arthur at the team's hotel in Chittagong before the second game of the series on Tuesday and is believed to have told the coach he didn't want to play, but reluctantly agreed.
May we see him more often
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Andre Nel ditched for India tour, may quit South Africa
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