South African cricket captain Graeme Smith might not take to the field for the remaining two days of the second cricket Test against the West Indies after suffering a hamstring injury.
Smith failed to come out for the start of the West Indies second innings at Kingsmead on Sunday. According to team management, Smith has a ”sore hamstring”, an injury sustained in the Windies’ first innings.
Team physiotherapist Shane Jabaar, however, said that the injury was not particularly serious and that Smith was merely been rested as a precaution.
Jabaar added that they did not want to risk aggravating the injury, making sure that Smith would be available for the third Test at Newlands, beginning on Friday.
The Windies are not without injury worries. Shivnarine Chanderpaul strained his thigh muscle and did not field at all on Sunday.
In Smith’s absence wicketkeeper Mark Boucher will lead a South African side in complete control of the second Test.
With two days to play, the Windies are 376 runs behind after surviving the final 10 over to end the day on 10 without loss.
That South Africa enjoys such a dominant position is due to three centuries from Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Gary Kirsten.
Kirsten dedicated his 137, his 20th Test century, to his wife and young son, Joshua, after sitting out the Wanderers Test to be present at the birth of his first child.
”I don’t regret it at all,” said Kirsten after helping his side post a massive 658 for nine declared.
”I wouldn’t miss it [the birth] for anything. But it was nice to get out there again. My first runs were a bit rusty but we both had some good fortune and we cashed in.”
Kirsten was dropped twice — when he had 22 and 41 — while Kallis was let off on 84.
Kallis went on to make 177, the highest South African score against the West Indies. — Sapa