Ngidi could be out for up to three months

LUNGI Ngidi could be sidelined for up to three months with a knee injury he picked up while fielding during the one-off T20 international against Australia last Saturday.

Cricket South Africa are set to confirm in the next 24 hours that Ngidi will miss the entire Mzansi Super League and possibly all the Tests, oneday internationals and T20 matches against Pakistan.

Ngidi jammed his knee into the turf at a damp Carrara Stadium in the fourth over of the T20 match last Saturday while fielding. The 22-year-old fast bowler left the field shortly thereafter, but did return to bowl the final over of the match which had been reduced by rain to 10 overs a side.

Ngidi underwent two sets of scans this week to ascertain the damage and what proper course of rehabilitation will follow. It will be a bitter blow, not just for Ngidi, but also the Proteas .

More importantly however, will be Ngidi’s fitness ahead of the World Cup. In the last year he has become a crucial part of the Proteas limited overs game plan following some outstanding performances in Sri Lanka and Australia.

Proteas captain Faf du Plessis and coach Ottis Gibson believe a fourprong bowling attack, comprising of three quicks; Ngidi, Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada and the attacking leg-spin of Imran Tahir holds the key to SA’s success in England and Wales.

It is therefore understandable that CSA will take every precaution to ensure Ngidi is fit. For the Test format it won’t be as significant for the Proteas as Ngidi hasn’t yet cemented his spot in the five-day format. Last season he made his debut in the second Test against India as a replacement for Steyn, picking up the Man-of-theMatch award for his seven wickets at his home ground Centurion. He played just two of the remaining five Tests of the season, before earning a fourth cap on a dust bowl in the second Test against Sri Lanka in July. |