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Charl: Stick with Vern at 7

Cape Town - Charl Langeveldt has made a passionate plea to the South African selectors just a few days after announcing his retirement from all cricket at age 39: ‘Please ditch the rotation policy for one-day internationals. Stick to one team and select Vernon Philander at number seven in the build-up to the Cricket World Cup.’

The supersport.com website reports that it was a brave outcry by Langeveldt, but not entirely surprising as the former warder at Victor Verster prison has shown his warrior-qualities while representing South Africa.

In his test debut at Newlands, he captured 5-46 after taking a painful blow on his left hand while batting in the first innings. He battled through the pain and South Africa won by 196 runs against England in January 2005.

Due to that injury, he could not feature in the rest of the test series.

Yet, in May 2005 he added another accolade to his already impressive résumé by taking a hat-trick against the West Indies in Bridgetown, Barbados, and finishing with 5-62 in 9.5 overs. South Africa won by one run.

Langeveldt said in a brief interview with supersport.com he would like to see the South African selectors stick to the core of the one-day international team that they want to field in the Cricket World Cup in Australasia in 2015.

“You need to bowl so-called test lengths in the first 10 to 15 overs in Australasia, and therefore you need Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel (to add bounce) with Dale Steyn.

“I will select Vernon at number seven, as he has come a long way with the bat,” he added.

“We should use the nucleus of our team, and maybe add one or two players who might perform admirably in the domestic competitions. But we need consistency now in the build-up to the Cricket World Cup,” he added.

Langeveldt said he would open with Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla, followed by Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and David Miller.

“It will also be important to select a spinner as you need wickets in the middle overs in order for the quicks to expose the batting tail. I will pick Imran Tahir,” said Langeveldt.

“The only problem with a team like that is your lack batting quality in the lower order.”

The Cape Cobras veteran selected Wasim Akram as the best bowler he ever saw.

“He swung it both ways through the air at pace.”

“Ricky Ponting was the best batsman I bowled to. He put you under pressure from the start, while others like Sachin Tendulkar might ease into their innings,” said Langeveldt.
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