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Journalism of Courage
South Africa will look to brush off an ugly selection controversy and continue their winning run as they go into the first cricket Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday.
A spat between coach Mickey Arthur and President of Cricket South Africa (CSA) Norman Arendse over selection policies marred the lead-up to the two-Test series which will be followed by three one-dayers.
Arthur was part of a selection panel that reportedly picked four black players for the Bangladesh tour, against CSA guidelines that sets a target of picking seven black players in a squad of 15.
Arendse wanted youngsters be given an opportunity against Bangladesh, while Arthur was after a full-strength squad which could adjust to sub-continental conditions ahead of the following tour of India.
The row was resolved after CSA issued a statement in which Arendse apologised to the chief executive Gerald Majola for the public spat.
However, the wrangling may have affected the players, most of whom appeared off-colour in a three-day warm-up game that ended a draw at Fatullah stadium on Thursday.
The South African seamers struggled to find their rhythm against a local Council XI which piled on 412-8 in reply to the visitors’ first innings score of 397.
Captain Graeme Smith however sought to draw positives from his team’s performance and said he hoped for a sporting wicket at Sher-e-Bngla Mirpur stadium, venue for the first Test.
