South Africa waiting on Philander's fitness ? Cricket News Update ...

South Africa waiting on Philander?s fitness ? Cricket News Update

South Africa cricket team management is hoping for the promising paceman Vernon Philander to recover in time for the first Test of the two-match home series against New Zealand, starting at Newlands in Cape Town, on January 2, 2013.

Philander, 27, injured his hamstring during a first class match between Cape Cobras and the Titans last week. The right-arm medium pacer bowled only five overs for the Cobras, claiming one wicket as well, before leaving the field for a treatment. Subsequent scans confirmed presence of a minor grade one hamstring strain. He is on the ninth day of a 10-14 day recovery programme, and will only be assessed next week for his availability for the New Year Test against the Black Caps.

Though the right-arm seamer is in training with the national team, he is not bowling to full capacity yet. South Africa?s team manager Mohammad Moosajee, who is also a medical doctor, told media reporters on Friday that Philander is expected to be up to 80 per cent fit by the weekend.

"He is still in the rehabilitation phase but is coming along nicely," Mohammed Moosajee told ESPNCricinfo yesterday. "We are definitely not ruling him out," insisted the Proteas? team manager.

It may be noted here that the 27-year-old South African seamer had also sat out the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval earlier this month due to a troublesome left hamstring and sore back.

Should Philander not pass the next week?s fitness test,?his Cape Cobras teammate Rory Kleinveldt?will replace him in the Playing XI for the first Test against the Kiwis. The 29-year-old Kleinveldt?made his Test debut against Australia at Brisbane last month, and has so far played two matches picking up four wickets.

Meanwhile, the Black Caps will be without middle-order batsman?Peter Fulton in the two-Test series, after he has been ruled out of the remainder of the itinerary due to a recurring knee injury. Colin Munro, who was part of the T20 squad that lost the recently concluded three-match series against the Proteas 2-1, has been called up to the Test side as cover for Fulton.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/South-Africa-waiting-on-Philanders-fitness-Cricket-News-Update-a211862

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