Parnell part of Tuskers squad for new season

Parnell joins the Tuskers as the Pietermaritzburg-based team return to Division 1 after dominating Division 2 last season.

Having played his cricket all around the country whether it be in Western Province, Warriors or Pretoria Capitals colours, Parnell's competitive fire still burns bright.

"I might be going into the last few years of my career, but the goal still remains the same, winning is always at the forefront of why I play cricket," Parnell said. "Winning will continue to be the ultimate goal, but the first priority for the team is to make sure that they in Division 1.

"We also want to establish a culture that is geared towards winning and if we can achieve that this season then that puts us in a good position going forward.

"This game is played for enjoyment but ultimately we play to win."

The AET Pietermaritzburg Oval will also welcome some vastly experienced former Proteas Parnell, Daryn Dupavillon and Hardus Viljoen.

All three have represented the Proteas with Parnell playing over 130 matches for South Africa across formats. The 35 year-old will add important experience of winning matches at the highest level.

Tuskers head coach Ahmed Amla is excited to sprinkle in some Division 1 experience into his squad for the season.

"It's great to see that players from around South Africa are starting to look at Pietermaritzburg as a good place to come and win games but have fun along the way," Amla said. "We have pretty much the same squad from last season with some additions in areas we felt may assist us in what is going to be a challenging season.

"There is a buzz and excitement around getting another opportunity to play against the best teams in the country again. It was just reward to the players who really gave the very best of themselves last season."