Morne Morkel is the latest South African seamer to sustain an injury
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
South Africa have been dealt a major blow as pace bowler Morne Morkel will be sidelined for four to six weeks after being diagnosed with a grade-two tear of the left abdominal oblique muscle.
Morkel suffered the injury while bowling during Bangladesh’s second innings on the fourth day of the first Test in Potchefstroom. However, before he picked up the injury, Morkel struck twice in the very first over as he removed Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque.
The 32-year-old will miss the remainder of the series against Bangladesh, which includes the second Test, three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals.
It is also understood that he could be ruled out for the first two weeks of the inaugural T20 Global League, in which he will represent the Pretoria Mavericks. The tournament is scheduled to begin on November 3.
Uncapped seamer Dane Paterson has been called up as Morkel’s replacement, but it is unlikely that he will feature in the second Test as Kagiso Rabada, Duanne Olivier and Andile Phehlukwayo, who made his debut in the first Test, are likely to be retained.
Wayne Parnell has also been cleared for the second Test in Bloemfontein after passing a fitness test last Wednesday.
When asked who will take Morkel’s spot in the playing XI, South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said: “It’s difficult to talk about all the domestic bowlers that are around. I haven’t seen enough to make a fair call on what I think the standard of bowling is and who the best seam bowlers in the country are.
“I know the guys that are with us the majority of the time and we’ve got a few guys in and around the squad that I know exactly what thy bring to the team and to the party. Outside that, haven’t seen a lot of red ball cricket. It will be a discussion between me, the coach and the selectors for who would be the guy to come in as a back up seamer.”
South Africa hold a 1-0 lead going into the second Test on Friday as they demolished Bangladesh by 333 runs in the first Test.