South Africa’s injury woes worsened ahead of Sunday’s tri-series clash with Australia as seamer Charl Langeveldt joined fast bowlers Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini on the sidelines with a groin strain.
Langeveldt (31) was able to bowl in the nets on Saturday but he was unable to shake off the problem which has hampered him since the end of the Test series.
Nel flew back to South Africa after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot and will miss the rest of the series also featuring Sri Lanka.
Ntini, who was sent home with a hamstring injury 11 days ago, is on standby for a surprise return pending a fitness test on Monday.
The latest withdrawal leaves South Africa woefully short of fire-power ahead of their first match against the world champions, who humbled Sri Lanka by 116 runs in the series opener.
They will now turn to the inexperienced duo of Monde Zondeki and Garnett Kruger to support the more seasoned Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall in attack.
All-rounder Justin Kemp (shoulder) is still in some doubt, although he is expected to be available to bat but not bowl.
But South African captain Graeme Smith cautioned against rushing Ntini back into action, despite the injury problems.
”The medical team here do feel he needs rest but the medical team back home are communicating and making a decision,” Smith said after a training session at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, the venue for Sunday’s match.
”It is risky to send Makhaya back out here.
”He is a match-winner and we’d love to have him every game but I think it’s important for us to box clever.
”We would prefer if he’s not 100% to take the more conservative route with Makhaya.”
Smith said it was crucial that South Africa had their best bowlers fit when Australia, who won the Test series 2-0, visit from the end of next month.
”We’re really confident in our abilities to win the Test series back in South Africa,” he said.
”Having our two strike bowlers, Nel and Ntini, fully fresh could be a blessing for us so we must box clever.”
Smith said the injuries gave Zondeki and Kruger a chance to prove themselves before the 2007 World Cup.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting was also wary of the threat provided by South Africa, who fell one short of equalling Australia’s 2003 record of 21 one-day matches without defeat between February and November.
”Their one-day record is outstanding,” Ponting said.”They got close to breaking our [unbeaten-stretch] record, they got very close to that against New Zealand over there.
”They are a good one-day side because they’ve got lots of those allrounder-type players as well and they generally bat pretty low.
”So we’ll expect a lot tougher challenge from them when we come up against them.”
The South Africans are ranked second in the world behind the host nation and were the best one-day side of 2005, losing only three of 24 matches with an overall winning percentage of 75. – AFP
