Anrich Nortje ruled out of Proteas’ decisive third Test against Australia with groin injury

Proteas fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the series decider against Australia due to a mild groin injury, with Cricket South Africa opting against naming a replacement in the squad.

The three-match series is locked at 1-1, with the final Test starting at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday. Nortje suffered the injury while bowling in the first innings of the second Test in Gqeberha on Wednesday, and scans conducted the following day confirmed the extent of the damage.

The paceman walked off midway through his fourth over on the fourth morning at St George's Park and did not return, spending the remainder of the match in the dressing room. The setback cuts short a promising return to Test cricket for Nortje, who had not played a red-ball match in more than three-and-a-half years prior to the series opener in Durban.

Nortje had been expected to be rested for the second Test, but South Africa retained him in the playing XI after he came through the opener without any trouble. The length of his lay-off is not yet clear.

South Africa will now have to choose between Gerald Coetzee, who has not played a Test in nearly two years, all-rounder Corbin Bosch, and seamer Dane Paterson to fill the vacancy left by Nortje in the playing XI. The trio have been with the squad since the first Test.

Should South Africa prefer a spinner, left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy could also come into contention. South Africa are monitoring several other injured players ahead of a busy summer.

Lungi Ngidi, who injured his hamstring in the opening round of the domestic first-class competition, is expected to return to action next month and could feature against Bangladesh. Ottneil Baartman, who also sustained a hamstring injury, returned for the Dolphins in the Pro20 competition on Friday, taking 4/12.

There is no update on left-arm paceman Kwena Maphaka or batter Tony de Zorzi, who injured a hamstring in the third ODI against Australia last month.

South Africa squad for third Test v Australia

Proteas team: Temba Bavuma (captain), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.  |  IANS