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Philander to miss two England tests but Steyn may return
Posted On Dec 10 2015
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The recovery period ends around December 24, two days before the Boxing Day Test, but without any game time in that period, the South Africa team management have confirmed Philander will not play the first two Tests.
But the 26-year-old, who spent part of his rehabilitation with the Premier League club Watford before returning to the UAE to join the England Lions, is understood to be privately targeting a return to full fitness before the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town, which starts on 2 January. “He will be out for the first two Tests and is doubtful for the third”.
The South African batting will once again be the focal point with none of the Proteas batsmen apart from de Villiers even managed to score a fifty in the series against India.
Dale Steyn is another casualty for the Proteas from their fast bowling department as he picked up a groin injury during the first Test against India in Mohali and has been out of the action since.
They will be aiming to improve on the 1-1 draw earned when the teams last met in South Africa in 2009. “Depending on the recovery, we might squeeze him in for the third”, Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager said. If both Philander and Steyn are out, and they still want four seamers, Marchant de Lange may also get a game.
Apart from Vilas, the selectors have left out of the spin combination of Imran Tahir and Simon Harmer from the squad that toured India while Dane Piedt managed to retain his spot. CA also collect a $US1 million cheque ($1.38 million), which goes into Australia’s cricket revenue, of which the players are entitled to a share of 26 per cent or roughly $360,000.
The home summer will finish with a battle between the world’s top two ranked one-day sides – Australia and India.
Not since 2004-05 have England beaten South Africa in a Test series and Cook is determined to avoid more misery after falling short against Pakistan. “I’d hate us to panic and make irrational decisions because we’ve got quality players”.
