Paarl Rocks have suffered a big injury blow ahead of their top-of-the-table Mzansi Super League clash with Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.
Proteas allrounder Dwaine Pretorius suffered an injury to his right hand in their two-run win over Cape Town Blitz last weekend and while he is still with the squad, he will in all likelihood miss the match against the Giants in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday evening.
But with the bad comes the good, with coach Adrian Birrell adding Emerging South Africa allrounder Ruan de Swardt to his squad.
As an injury replacement for JP Duminy, who was ruled out of the entire tournament after suffering a hamstring injury, the 21-year-old former Affies schoolboy was only cleared as an addition to Faf du Plessis' squad on Monday.
CALLED UP: JP Duminy’s replacement Ruan de Swardt. Picture: Twitter/@Paarl_Rocks
Of his new player, Birrell says: “With James Vince coming in to strengthen our top order, we needed another allrounder to balance out the squad.
“Ruan has lots of potential and I’m confident he’ll add some real value in the middle-order and gives us more options in our bowling attack as well.”
READY: Beuran Hendricks. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix.
Meanwhile, Giants fast bowler Beuran Hendricks says they don’t feel any pressure topping the log.
Ahead of their meeting with the Rocks, he says: “There isn’t too much pressure and being on top of the table is a positive driving force for us.
“For every game it will just boil down to our approach to any situation we face and how we can finish well on a high.”
Not having played yet this season, Hendricks says he is fit and raring to go.
The ex-Cobras speedster adds: “The team is quite successful at the moment and if you’re a good side you don’t tamper with winning ways.
“I am happy to buy my time and if the team needs me, I am ready.”
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The Giants, too, had a change in their squad before the match, with South African-born Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate coming in as a replacement for the injured allrounder Farhaan Behardien.