Keegan Petersen’s injury adds to Proteas woes

Johannesburg - Keegan Petersen will miss South Africa’s tour to Australia, after suffering a hamstring tear in the T20 Challenge final last Saturday that will require six to eight weeks from which to recover.

Petersen, picked up the injury while making a diving stop on the boundary for the Dolphins and was taken off the field on a stretcher.

The injury is just the latest hurdle for the South African team that will face Australia in a three match Test series that starts on December 17. The Proteas will tackle that series with an interim coach in Malibongwe Maketa, following the resignation of Mark Boucher, whose tenure ended with the team’s shocking exit at the T20 World Cup following a loss to the Netherlands.

The Proteas lost their last Test series to England, placing their chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship final in jeopardy. South Africa is currently in second place on the WTC table, behind Australia. The Proteas have won their last three Test series’ Down Under.

With Petersen out, the spotlight will fall on the form of batters in the opening rounds of the Four-Day series which started on Thursday. Although the DP World (Gauteng) Lions aren’t in action this week, Rassie van der Dussen, who was batting at no. 3 until Petersen’s call up for the series in the Caribbean last year, is likely to be the primary candidate for that position for the Australia series.

He suffered a fractured finger during the second Test in Manchester, but is expected to make a return when the Lions open their campaign against North West in Potchefstroom next week.

Maketa is expected to do the rounds at matches in the next few weeks, and will hold discussions with players regarding preparations for the series.

It is understood that Cricket SA wants the players who will be part of that Test squad to play at least one of the Four-Day matches before the tour. The Proteas depart for Australia on December 1.

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