Uncapped Brand to lead South Africa in New Zealand Tests

South Africa have named their 14-player Test squad for the tour of New Zealand in January with a new captain to lead a rookie squad.

Uncapped Neil Brand will lead South Africa in New Zealand in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series with only three players from the squad currently playing India travelling with the team.

The 27-year-old Brand has played 51 first-class matches, scoring 2906 runs at an average of 39.27 and has 72 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox spin.

The changes come owing to a clash with the SA20, the T20 franchise tournament conducted by South Africa in January, where most of the contracted Test players will play.

"Firstly I would like to congratulate the players that will be going on a Proteas tour for the first time," Test head coach Shukri Conrad said.

"It is a real honour to represent your country, so they should savour the moment. 

"The players picked for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand and we have full confidence they will do exactly that when we arrive for the first Test match at Mount Maunganui. 

"Most of these guys participated in the recent 'A' series against West Indies where they showed that they have what it takes against players of international calibre. That experience will no doubt leave them in a better position for what we expect to be a testing series in New Zealand."

Keegan Petersen and Zubayr Hamza aside, David Bedingham, who made his Test debut last week, are the only players in the touring party who are in the Test squad for the Cape Town Test against India.

There are six uncapped players in the squad with Duanne Olivier, capped 15 times in Tests, the most experienced.

Brand will become the first player since Lee Germon in 1995 to lead an international men's team on Test debut (if it's not also the team's first-ever Test). 

The tour will be a huge challenge for the newbies with WTC points at stake and a history to defend. New Zealand have never beaten South Africa in a men's Test series till date. 

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

Fixtures

February 4-8, 1st Test at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

February 13-17, 2nd Test at Seddon Park, Hamilton