ICC needs to step in to save Tests: Steve Waugh slams South Africa for naming B-Team for New Zealand series

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has come down hard on Cricket South Africa for naming a second-string side for the New Zealand Tests. Waugh said with Cricket Boards opting against picking their best 15 for the away tours, citing examples of Proteas, West Indies and even Pakistan, the death of Test cricket has started to look evident, and the governing body – the ICC must now intervene and save it.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Waugh was disappointed with how top South African players opted to play the home franchise-based T20 league (SA20) instead of choosing Test Cricket. He also slammed New Zealand Cricket for allowing a top-tier nation like South Africa to undermine them by sending a B-Team for the Test series.

🟢 SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT 🟡

CSA has today announced a 14-player squad for the Proteas two-match Test tour of New Zealand next month🇿🇦🇳🇿#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/pLBxCrNvJF — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) December 30, 2023

“Obviously, they (New Zealand Cricket) don’t care. It’s going to happen if the South African Cricket Board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home.”

“If I was New Zealand, I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?,” Waugh told the Sydney Morning Herald.

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Waugh noted that it would get uglier for Tests in times to come with all teams choosing this path of saving their best players for the domestic leagues and not prioritising the longest format.

Citing a couple of examples in the West Indies team, and how even Pakistan didn’t name their best 15 for their tour Down Under, Waugh said,

“It’s pretty obvious what the problem is. The West Indies aren’t sending their full-strength side (to Australia this summer). They haven’t picked a full-strength Test team for a couple of years now. Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn’t play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now.”

“Even Pakistan didn’t send a full side [to Australia]. If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket because you’re not testing yourself against the best players,” he added.

7 uncapped players in SA squad for NZ series

Half of the South Africa squad yet to make its Test debut, with the visiting team naming uncapped Neil Brand the captain for the two-match Test series, starting February 4.

South African squad: Neil Brand (captain), David Bedingham, Ruan de Swardt, Clyde Fortuin (wkt), Zubayr Hamza, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Raynard van Tonder, Shaun von Berg and Khaya Zondo