De Villiers slams SA selectors for choosing 'half-fit' players

Johannesburg:

Former pacer Fanie de Villiers has slammed South African selectors for including "half-fit" bowlers in the national side that suffered an ignominious defeat to the visiting Englishmen in the second Test in Durban earlier this week.

"It was a big mistake," de Villiers told the Afrikaans daily 'Beeld' here as he called for those responsible for including "half-fit" Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis in the match to be hauled up.

"I don't know if it was the head of the selectors who took this decision or the senior players (captain) Graeme Smith, Mark Boucher and Kallis. I half get the idea that this group, together with the coach Mickey Arthur are in any event the guys taking the decisions," he said.

De Villiers also criticised the inclusion of Makhaya Ntini as concerns increased here among commentators that he was becoming just a political pawn in the national squad because he was the first black paceman to make it to the team.

"Friedel de Wet should have played, because he at least swings the ball and has the pace to give the English batsmen something to think about," De Villiers said.

"I don't think that he (De Wet) is the answer for the future, but at the moment he will definitely be a better choice than Ntini."