South Africa will go into the first two Tests of a three-match series against the West Indies with the same squad that won successive series against Pakistan and New Zealand.
The selectors again included veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock in a 12-man squad, although he has not made the final 11 which has played in four successive Tests while South Africa have been on a winning streak. The first Test will be in Durban from December 26 to 30 and the second Test in Cape Town from January 2 to 6.
Coach Mickey Arthur, who announced the squad Sunday, said he was confident captain Graeme Smith would have recovered fully from a virus which caused him to miss Sunday's Twenty20 international against the West Indies in Port Elizabeth. Arthur said fast bowler Morne Morkel, who is recovering from a foot stress fracture, would join the squad for the first two Tests but would not be considered for selection.
SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD: Graeme Smith (captain), Ashwell Prince (vice-captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel, Paul Harris, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini.