Internal strife mars South African cricket team

Melbourne, March 17 (IANS) All is not well in the South African cricket camp after the heated clash between opener Ashwell Prince and some of his Test teammates during a domestic match this week.

Prince has just returned to the national side after missing the last five Tests and is said to be involved in a heated, abusive slanging match with A.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

B. de Villiers and Paul Harris.

Prince had been named acting captain for this week's third Test in Cape Town, but was removed from the position the following day.

Sources said Prince did not want to return as an opener and demanded the decision be reviewed, saying that as acting captain he should have a say in it, reports Herald Sun.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola was outraged at the demands and Prince was replaced as skipper by Jacques Kallis.

Mark Boucher acted as captain during the second Test when Graeme Smith was out injured with a broken hand. Neil McKenzie filled in for Smith during a similar situation in Sydney, but was axed for the third Test.

Smith is furious at the situation and has fallen out with selectors, but will be in the dressing room during the third Test. South Africa trails 2-0 in the series.

Prince is said to be upset with De Villiers stay in the No. 5 spot that was Prince's until he broke his hand. Now he and newcomer Imraan Khan know that one of them will be dropped when Smith returns.

'As an outsider you could see it as a playoff for one spot. The player who gets the higher score stays in the team,' Prince said.