Proteas sweat on Amla’s injury

The Proteas are already 2-0 down in the five-match one-day series after being thrashed by 180 runs in Saturday’s opener, before falling by 17 runs in a rain-ruined game on Tuesday.

South Africa have now lost 11 consecutive one-day matches on Sri Lankan soil since 1993, but AB de Villiers’ tourists must win tomorrow’s third match in Pallekele to stay afloat in the series. Amla, who missed the first match due to a stiff neck, fell awkwardly while fielding near the boundary line on Tuesday and was rushed to hospital, where scans showed a strain to the left groin muscle.

Team manager Mohammed Moosajee said Amla was being put through intensive treatment to ensure he is fit to play in the rest of the series.
“Hashim jarred his left knee into the ground while fielding, after which he reported discomfort in the pelvic and groin region,” Moosajee said.

“Injuries of this nature usually take three to seven days to recover. But he will receive intensive treatment and rehab in the coming days to give him the best possible chance of being ready for the rest of the series.”

Amla’s injury will further weaken the tourists, who are without three frontline players — fast bowler Dale Steyn, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and former captain Graeme Smith — for the tour.

The third and fourth matches will be held in Pallekele tomorrow and Sunday, before the action returns to Colombo for the final game at the Premadasa Stadium next Wednesday.
The one-day series will be followed by three Twenty20 internationals.

Meanwhile, Australia fast bowler James Pattinson will miss the rest of the Ashes series against England after suffering a stress fracture of the lower back. The 23-year-old complained of soreness in his hip and back at the end of the second Test at Lord’s.

“Unfortunately he will not take any further part in this Test series,” said Australia team doctor Peter Brukner.
The tourists say they have no immediate plans to call up a replacement, which could mean a recall for Mitchell Starc. Starc was left out of the side which was thrashed by 347 runs on Sunday as England established a 2-0 series lead ahead of the third Test at Old Trafford starting on 1 August.

The right-arm paceman, who took 5-135 in the first Test at Trent Bridge, only recently returned to fitness after undergoing ankle surgery.
Pattinson took seven wickets in the first two Tests at a cost of 307 runs, and almost helped Australia pull off an unlikely Trent Bridge victory with a gritty 25 not out in a thrilling climax to the first Test.

But this is the latest setback in a career blighted by injuries, with the Victoria cricketer breaking down four times in 2012 alone.
Two other potential replacements, Jackson Bird and Pat Cummins, have endured serious back problems of their own in recent times.

Cummins, a highly-rated 20-year-old quick, took 4-43 for Australia A against Zimbabwe in Harare last week.
James Faulkner is also available as back-up to frontline seamers Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris, while Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Chadd Sayers could be called up from the Australia A squad.

“Scans have identified an early stage low back stress fracture,” Prukner said of Pattinson. “He will commence a rehabilitation programme with the aim to have him back for the Australian summer.” — AFP.