CSA says Proteas' Boxing Day Test snub due to scheduling problems

Johannesburg, June 6(ANI): Cricket South Africa (CSA) has clarified its decision to swap the time-honored Boxing Day Test with a Twenty20 international for the 2012-13 home season.

South Africa will not, as was the standard, host a five-day Test over the period between December 26 and 30.

Proteas will play Twenty20 daytime international against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth on December 26 instead.

"We would like to clarify the Boxing Day Test issue that many fans are upset about. According to the ICC Future tours programme, the Proteas were only ever scheduled to play two Tests against New Zealand," Sports24 quoted a CSA statement, as saying.

"The Boxing Day Test has not been replaced or cancelled in favour of T20 cricket for good, we will have Test matches from the beginning of January. There will be the normal five Tests. The scheduling is just slightly different. We may revert to a Boxing Day Test next season," the statement further added.

New Zealand will play two Test matches, plus three ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals against South Africa in December-January.

The tour would officially commence with three T20 internationals in Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, before a three-day warm-up match in Paarl from December 28-30.

The two tests start on January 2 in Cape Town and January 11 in Port Elizabeth before the ODIs in Paarl, Kimberley and Potchefstroom. (ANI)