The Proteas will have to make-do without allrounder Dwaine Pretorius when they take the field in the first of three T20Is against England at Newlands tonight (6pm).
Team doctor Shuaib Manjra Thursday revealed that attempts to change his bowling action in order to increase his speed, may have led to Pretorius suffering a hamstring injury that will sideline him for the hele limited-overs series which also includes three ODIs.
Manjra explains: “It was an unusual injury. People who know Dwaine knows he has an obsessive personality – he does something right.
“He is the first guy in the gym and the last guy to leave the gym. From a physical conditioning point of view, Dwaine is kind of pretty rigid in terms of what he does.
“This is a presumption and trying to get an idea of what happened. Dwaine used to bowl with a bent front leg and 12 weeks ago, he changed his action and he tried to improve and increase his speed and moved to a straight front leg action.
“If you look at straight front leg action, the muscles that play out in a bent front leg and straight front leg are completely different.
“To some extent ,that might have played a role in [the injury]... Dwaine’s not a guy who’s had muscle injuries in the past.”
The doctor adds: “Hopefully it [the change of action] makes him a faster bowler.”
The Proteas have not named a replacement for Pretorius as they gear up to play in their first match since the Covid-19 lockdown started in March. The second match of the series will take place on Sunday at 2.30pm.
Proteas squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Junior Dala, Faf du Plessis, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Glenton Stuurman, Pite van Biljon, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne.