Gerald Coetzee could be a doubt for the second Test against Sri Lanka after suffering a groin problem during the first Test in Durban, which South Africa won by 233 runs on Saturday.
Coetzee bowled in the morning session, starting proceedings with Kagiso Rabada, but stopped after a three-over spell. Their second spell of the morning came in just two overs as Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal put up a spirited fight for Sri Lanka having started the day five down and looking for a bigger defeat than they ultimately suffered. Coetzee did not bowl again after that in the session, but did bowl three overs after lunch, sending back Chandimal caught and bowled.
Shukri Conrad, the South Africa coach, said after the day’s match that Coetzee had spoken to him at lunch and told him that he “felt a pain in his groin” and that he returned after the break “tied up”. Coetzee, who picked up four wickets in Durban, will undergo scans tomorrow.
This will be something to worry about in South Africa ahead of the second Test as fast bowling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder is also injured (broken right middle finger) and has already been ruled out for the second Test, which will be played since December 5 in Gqeberha.
“There is not a big difference,” said captain Temba Bavuma at the presentation ceremony. “Wiaan is out of the series, we have to find a replacement. Gerald Coetzee, the medical team will do their best.”
Two of the three South African quicks who played the Durban Test – Rabada and Man of the Match Marco Jansen – are fit for the second Test, and Dane Paterson is the team’s other quick. However, South Africa could struggle to find another fast bowler to fit into the team, with Nandre Burger out for the summer with a stress fracture in his lower back and Lungi Ngidi out until January.
Matthew Breetzke, the top-order hitter, was previously named Mulder’s replacement. “We’ll most likely add another player to our group,” Conrad said.
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