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A mild right groin injury sustained during the Gqeberha Test has forced Anrich Nortje out of South Africa's 3rd and final Test against Australia, scheduled for October 27-31 at Newlands, Cape Town. South Africa's selectors have named an otherwise unchanged 16-member squad for the decider, with the series poised at 1-1.
Nortje's involvement in Gqeberha lasted just 3.3 overs in the first innings before the injury pulled him off the field. He played no further part in that contest, yet South Africa's remaining bowlers ensured the hosts completed a series-levelling win by an innings and 31 runs.
Nortje's absence creates an opportunity for one of Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee or Dane Paterson to earn a place in the Cape Town XI, particularly if South Africa opt to field a four-man seam attack at Newlands. Additionally, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who was left out of the Gqeberha Test when Simon Harmer was retained as the sole spinner, remains available should conditions at Newlands favour a change in the spin combination.
What does Nortje's injury mean for South Africa's pace options?
With Nortje unavailable, South Africa's pace department at Newlands will be drawn from Bosch, Coetzee and Paterson, all of whom are included in the squad named under captain Temba Bavuma. The team management has not indicated which of the three will be preferred, leaving that call to be made ahead of October 27.
Kyle Verreynne has been retained in the squad as backup wicket-keeper after being dropped for the second Test, with Ryan Rickelton having taken the gloves in Gqeberha and also moving down the batting order. The squad retains its full complement of batting and bowling options, giving the management flexibility in building the final XI for the decider.
Nortje's brief Gqeberha appearance was not without impact. In his 3.3 overs before leaving the field, he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne, caught by Simon Harmer at third slip. His workload in the first Test at Durban had been considerably heavier: he bowled 40 overs across that match, which was his first Test appearance in more than three and a half years following a lengthy injury absence.
What is the series situation heading into the Newlands decider?
The three-match series is level at 1-1 as both sides travel to Cape Town. Australia claimed the opening Test in Durban by 214 runs between October 9 and 13, before South Africa squared the contest with their innings-and-31-run victory in Gqeberha. The decider at Newlands runs from October 27 to 31, with a series win on South African soil at stake for both teams.
South Africa squad for 3rd Test vs Australia:
Temba Bavuma (C), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verreynne.
