'No fitness issues' around Temba Bavuma despite Proteas Test skipper missing domestic action

Cricket SA National teams and high-performance director Enoch Nkwe has confirmed that Temba Bavuma is fully fit despite the Proteas Test captain having missed the last round of domestic first-class fixtures. 

Bavuma was not part of the Lions team that was held to a rain-affected draw at Boland Park over the past weekend. 

All the remaining Proteas Test squad players that are not on Indian Premier League duty played for their respective provincial teams.

Batters Tony de Zorzi and David Bedingham along with wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne played a pivotal role for Western Province in their seven-wicket victory over the Titans at SuperSport Park. Seamer Dane Paterson also led the Province attack.

Allrounder Senuran Muthusamy was in action for the Warriors, and of course, Maharaj played for the Dolphins.

Nkwe stated that he is in constant discussions with the Lions management surrounding Bavuma’s availability.

“I’ve had chats with Russell (Domingo, Lions coach) about Temba and he’s told me that he will be available for the final game of the season and also the final should the Lions qualify,” Nkwe told Independent Media.

“There are no fitness issues around Temba at the moment, but we are monitoring any potential injury due to the elbow issues he has experienced recently.”

Bavuma entered the home South African summer having recovered from an elbow injury sustained during the ODI series against Ireland in the United Arab Emirates last year.

It caused him to miss the two-match series away to Bangladesh and had not played any cricket heading into the series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan last year. 

The 34-year-old, however, enjoyed a sparkling Test summer, where he topped the run-scoring charts against Sri Lanka with 327 runs at an average of 81.74 before compiling a further 177 runs at an average of 59 against Pakistan, prompting Test coach Shukri Conrad to call Bavuma "a wounded warrior". 

Lions coach Russell Domingo also confirmed Bavuma’s situation and stated he was "quite comfortable playing with my youngsters" at the moment after the Test skipper posted a picture of his passport in the OR Tambo International Departures Lounge on Monday indicating he is set to travel overseas. 

A completely contrasting situation is unfolding in Australia the moment, however, where Queensland Cricket and veteran Test opener Usman Khawaja are embroiled in a media war. 

Queensland Cricket general manager Joe Dawes initially made strong comments expressing his "disappointment" that Khawaja missed the last round of Sheffield Shield matches and was pictured, along with fellow Test spinner Nathan Lyon, at the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne at the same time. 

Khawaja has since hit back stating that Cricket Australia were fully aware of his hamstring injury, which was “ready to pop” and that "There’s a lot of misinformation being thrown around…"

The veteran has since declared him fit and available for selection for this weekend’s grand Australian Sheffield Shield final.