SA vs Eng 1st T20 - Highly Unlikely That KP Will Play

Johannesburg: England face several selection problems ahead of the first Twenty20 international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.

There are injury concerns about no fewer than four of the touring team's bowlers, while a poor batting performance in a warm-up game against South Africa A raised doubts about the batsmen earmarked for the 20-overs clash.

Star batsman Kevin Pietersen joined up with the squad on Wednesday after recovering from heel surgery and there may be a temptation to rush him into action, although it was expected originally that he would only be considered for the five-match One-Day International series.

There may also be a discussion about tour captain Andrew Strauss, the team's most impressive batsman on tour so far, after the team slumped to 89 all out in his absence on the way to a four-wicket defeat against South Africa A in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

Fast bowler Stuart Broad is unlikely to play in the Twenty20 games because of a shoulder injury but England are hoping that fellow bowlers Graham Onions (back), James Anderson (knee) and Graeme Swann (thigh) will be fit for selection.

England will be up against a South African team that played impressively in beating Zimbabwe by 212 runs in the second and final one-day international in Centurion on Tuesday.

South African captain Graeme Smith said he expected England to be strong opponents. "We know that there's a stiffer challenge in the summer and our focus now turns to that," he said.

The teams meet in two Twenty20 matches, with the second in Centurion on Sunday, followed by five One-Day Internationals and four Test matches.

Smith said he did not read much into England's defeat on Tuesday.

"It's fantastic that the South Africa A side has played well and beaten England but we know from touring that it's the real international matches that really count," he said.

South Africa have named a squad of 15 for the two matches and selection convenor Mike Procter said the aim was to give every player a start. But left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell is struggling with an ankle injury and may be rested until the One-day series.

Teams

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Yusuf Abdulla, Loots Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Jacques Kallis, Heino Kuhn, Charl Langeveldt, Ryan McLaren, Albie Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe.

England: Paul Collingwood (capt), James Anderson, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Joe Denly, Sajid Mahmood, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Adil Rashid, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.

Match facts
Friday, November 13, 2009
Start time 18:00 local (16:00 GMT)

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Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - 46th Match 47th Match - Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Capitals - April 29, 14:00 GMT 48th Match - Lucknow Super Giants v Mumbai Indians - April 30, 14:00 GMT 45th Match - Gujarat Titans v Royal Challengers Bangalore at Ahmedabad Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 9 wickets (with 24 balls remaining) 5th T20I - Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore Pakistan won by 9 runs

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