Anrich Nortje, a quick bowler for South Africa, is out of the final test against Australia due to a groin injury sustained early in this week’s comprehensive second test victory in Gqeberha, according to a statement released by Cricket South Africa on Saturday. Nortje, 32, pulled up in his fourth over and did not play any more in the test, which South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs on Thursday.
If South Africa chooses to field a four-man seam attack at Newlands, Nortje’s absence gives one of Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, or Dane Paterson the chance to gain a spot in the Cape Town XI. Furthermore, if circumstances at Newlands allow for a change in the spin combination, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who was excluded from the Gqeberha Test when Simon Harmer was kept as the only spinner, is still available.
Ryan Rickelton has assumed the gloves at Gqeberha and moved down the batting order, while Kyle Verreynne, who was dropped for the second Test, has been kept in the squad as backup wicketkeeper. The management has freedom in selecting the final XI for the decisive match because the team keeps all of its batting and bowling options.
Nortje’s brief visit to Gqeberha had an impact. Simon Harmer captured Marnus Labuschagne at third slip in his 3.3 overs before he left the field. He bowled 40 overs during the first Test in Durban, which was his first Test appearance in over three and a half years after a protracted injury hiatus. This was a significantly larger workload.
South Africa squad for the 3rd Test vs Australia: Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne, and Temba Bavuma (C).
