Vernon Philander

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 14: Vernon Philander of the Proteas during day 3 of the 3rd test between South Africa and Sri Lanka at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on January 14, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

Cricket: Philander set to miss first Test against Pakistan

The Proteas swill go into the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan without Vernon Philander after the all-rounder sustained a hand injury.

Vernon Philander

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JANUARY 14: Vernon Philander of the Proteas during day 3 of the 3rd test between South Africa and Sri Lanka at Bidvest Wanderers Stadium on January 14, 2017 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

The Proteas have suffered another injury blow ahead of their Test series against Pakistan with all-rounder, Vernon Philander ruled out of the Boxing Day Test with a hand injury.

South Africa square off against the Pakistanis in three Test matches, and will already be without fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury.

Philander is the latest in the casualty list, having sustained a hairline fracture on his right thumb, and is set to miss the first match of the series.

This leaves just three fit specialist seamers in the Proteas squad in Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier.

The depleted bowling reserves have left coach Ottis Gibson with a few headaches.

“If you look at where we are, Steyn, Rabada and Olivier become very important to us,” he is quoted on Cricinfo.

“We just want to manage them as best we can. We’ve seen how Dale’s been going. I don’t want to say we’ve seen a transformation because he’s always been a top player, but he’s back to full fitness and performing like the player of old. KG (Rabada) as always is very important to us.”

South Africa vs Pakistan fixtures

26-30 December: First Test – Supersport Park, Centurion

3-7 January: Second Test – Newlands, Cape Town

11-15 January: Third Test – The Wanderers, Johannesburg

19 January: First ODI – St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth

22 January: Second ODI – Kingsmead, Durban

25 January: Third ODI – Supersport Park, Centurion

27 January: Fourth ODI – The Wanderers, Johannesburg

30 January: Fifth ODI – Newlands, Cape Town

1 February: First T20I – Newlands, Cape Town

3 February: Second T20I – The Wanderers, Johannesburg

6 February: Third T20I – Supersport Park, Centurion

Proteas Test squad vs Pakistan

Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.