Proteas hit by injury toll

WHILE IT seems things couldn’t get much worse for the Black Caps in South Africa, at least their hosts have got their own problems.

All-rounder Chris Morris suffered a quad injury in yesterday morning’s eight wicket victory over New Zealand in Durban, after claiming 2-19 in his 3.4 overs.

Morris joins Lonwabo Tsotsobe on the sidelines for the final two Twenty20s in South Africa, with the left-arm seamer ruled out for three weeks with an ankle injury.

Perhaps in better news for the Black Caps, classy seam bowler Vernon Philander is in doubt for the first test between the countries in Port Elizabeth after straining his left hamstring in a domestic four-day game in Cape Town on Friday.

Philander left the ground after bowling five overs to have scans. South African team manager Mohammed Moosajee said the bowler would be out of action for up to two weeks – meaning he was an unlikely inclusion for the Port Elizabeth test, starting on January 2. Rory Kleinveldt would likely replace the seamer, as he did when Philander pulled out of the recent test against Australia in Adelaide with a back complaint.

No replacements will be named for Morris and Tsotsobe in the T20 series.

Meanwhile, a replacement has yet to be named for Black Caps seamer Tim Southee, who was ruled out of the tour with a thumb injury last week.

Michael Bates or Mitchell McClenaghan, in South Africa for the shorter form games, could be selected to stay on for the test series.