SA vs AUS: Anrich Nortje ruled out of Cape Town Test due to groin injury

South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the series decider third Test against Australia in Cape Town. Nortje suffered a mild groin injury during the second match in Gqeberha and left the field midway through his fourth over on Day 4. 

As a result, he had to spend the rest of the match in the dressing room as South Africa made a brilliant comeback in the series, winning by an innings and 31 runs. Nortje made his comeback to the longest format after three-and-a-half years as he played in the first Test of the series in Durban.

He bowled 40 overs in the match across two innings and scalped four wickets in total. He was expected to be rested for the second Test, but after he came clean in the first match, he was again included in the playing XI.

“Fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the Test due to a mild groin injury. He sustained the injury while bowling during the first innings of the second Dafabet Test in Gqeberha on Wednesday. Subsequent scans on Thursday revealed the extent of the injury,” Cricket South Africa informed through a post on their X account.

The series is level at 1-1, and the third Test begins on October 27 at Newlands, Cape Town.

South Africa squad for 3rd Test vs Australia: Temba Bavuma (C), 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