SA vs AUS 2nd Test – Anrich Nortje walks off with suspected groin injury in second Test

South Africa faced the prospect of being a bowler down for the remainder of the second Test against Australia, after Anrich Nortje limped off with a suspected right groin injury during the opening session of the fourth day in Gqeberha.

Nortje walked off three balls into his fourth over and, after Cricket South Africa said he was undergoing “further assessment”, did not take any further part in the day’s play.

In Durban, Nortje bowled 40 overs in his first Test (and first-class match) in more than three and a half years. There were questions about whether he could back up with a short turnaround, but he had bowled with impressive pace during training two days out.

On the fourth morning in Gqeberha, he had been part of a sustained barrage by South Africa’s quicks, which rattled Australia’s top order. He removed Marnus Labuschagne courtesy of a stunning catch at third slip by Simon Harmer, which left Australia 45 for 4.

South Africa played the extra pace bowler in this match compared to Kingsmead, with Kagiso Rabada having returned in place of Keshav Maharaj. Marco Jansen finished with 5 for 33 in Australia’s first innings while allrounder Wiaan Mulder claimed two.

Nortje’s injury did not shift South Africa away from their follow-on plan after captain Temba Bavuma had braced his team for two days in the field in their bid to level the series. Later on the fourth day, offspinner Simon Harmer played a vital role by claiming the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Beau Webster.

“It’s unfortunate that we lost Anrich early on, and now it’s a case of who do you bowl and for how long, and obviously coupled with Harmy at one end,” Jansen said. “We had a feeling that the ball was going to start to spin at some stage, and we always had a feeling Harmy is going play a big role in this Test match, especially on this wicket.”

Nortje is the latest South Africa quick to go down with an injury. Rabada missed the start of the series with a hamstring strain while Lungi Ngidi has also been sidelined. Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka have hamstring problems. Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch and Gerald Coetzee are the reserve pace bowlers in the current South Africa squad.

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