Jacques Kallis sustained a nasty blow to his left temple while batting before lunch on day two of the opening Test against Sri Lanka at Centurion on Friday but was able to continue batting after receiving treatment on the field.
Team doctor Mohammed Moosajee said Kallis was feeling much better but his condition would be monitored overnight.
“The blow to the helmet caused a laceration to his left ear and we had to glue-stitch it together,” said Moosajee.
“He was a bit dizzy and disorientated but I’m happy to say he is feeling much better.
“We will monitor him overnight and if anything changes we will have some investigations done, but for now he’s fine.”
The incident happened at a crucial time during the game, when South Africa was 159 for four and Kallis was starting to look dangerous.
Dilhara Fernando bowled a bouncer which stayed lower than expected and Kallis ducked into it.
The ball hit the ear-piece of the helmet. He shook his head and removed his helmet, then dropped his bat and crumpled to the ground holding his head.
“All credit to him to keep going,” said AB de Villiers, who was batting with Kallis at the time.
“It was a really important moment in the game and if Prince had to come in earlier than he did, you never know what would have happened in the game.”
SA in the lead
South Africa were 389 for nine wickets, a lead of 209, at the close of the second day.
With his four wickets on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Dale Steyn became the second fastest cricketer of all time to take 250 Test match wickets.
Steyn, who returned figures of four for 18 in his 10.4 overs, moved his wicket tally up to 253 in 49 Test matches.
Only Australian bowler Dennis Lillee reached the mark faster, in 48 Test matches.
“It is a magnificent achievement by [Steyn]”, said Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola.
“If one considers that he took 13 matches to take his first 50 wickets, it means that he has taken 200 wickets in his last 36 games. He has, in fact, been averaging 50 wickets per 10 matches played over the last few years, which is a phenomenal achievement.”
“[Steyn] is also one of only four bowlers ever to have a career strike rate below 30 and the only one to do so who has taken more than 200 wickets. It can only be a matter of time before he becomes the fourth South African to join the ‘300 wickets club’ alongside Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.”
“It is a reminder of how fortunate we have been to have this quartet leading our bowling attack in the 20 years since we rejoined the international cricket community”, Majola said — Sapa-Reuters