Radebe on standby for South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) -- Former South African captain Lucas Radebe could still make his country's World Cup

squad if he proves his fitness and there was an injury to another player, coach Jomo Sono said on Tuesday after leaving him out of a preliminary squad for the finals.

Sono said he would monitor the return of the Leeds United defender from a 13-month injury lay-off and put him on stand-by.

"We will match his progress and if there is an injury he could come in," Sono told reporters in Johannesburg after naming 30 possible players for the World Cup.

Radebe was the only surprise omission in the preliminary squad, which will be cut down to 23 for the finals in South Korea and Japan.

As expected, there was also no place in Tuesday's squad for Eric Tinkler of Barnsley, despite being the captain during January's African Nations Cup finals.

The midfielder, a regular in the South African squad since 1994, missed the last World Cup finals in France through injury.

Radebe, who has been out injured since March last year, played his first full 90 minutes for the Leeds United reserve team on Thursday and had been hoping he would be fit enough to compete at the World Cup finals.

A knee injury has kept him out of English Premiership action all season.

Provisional squad

Goalkeepers Andre Arendse (Santos), Emile Baron (Lillestrom, Norway), Calvin Marlin (Ajax Cape Town), Hans Vonk (SC Heerenveen, Netherlands)

Defenders Matthew Booth (Mamelodi Sundowns), Bradley Carnell (VFB Stuttgart, Germany), Mark Fish (Charlton Athletic, England), Pierre Issa (Watford, England), Jacob Lekgetho (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Mbulelo Mabizela (Orlando Pirates), Aaron Mokoena (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium), Thabang Molefe (Jomo Cosmos), Cyril Nzama (Kaizer Chiefs)

Midfielders Delron Buckley (VfL Bochum, Germany), Quinton Fortune (Manchester United, England), Thabo Mngomeni (Orlando Pirates), Bennett Mnguni (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Lovers Mohlala (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tebeho Mokoena (ST Gallen, Switzerland), McDonald Mukansi (Chernomorets Bourgas, Bulgaria), Steven Pienaar (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands), Jabu Pule (Kaizer Chiefs), MacBeth Sibaya (Jomo Cosmos), Sibusiso Zuma (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

Strikers Bradley August (Santos), Shaun Bartlett (Charlton Athletic, England), George Koumantarakis (FC Basle, Switzerland), Clement Mazibuko (Umtata Bush Bucks), Benni McCarthy (FC Porto, Portugal), Siyabonga Nomvete (Udinese, Italy)

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