The Anrich Nortjé-ICC tournament curse has struck again!
Just days after being announced in the Proteas’ 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan next month, the fast bowler was withdrawn on Wednesday, due to a back injury.
The 31-year-old underwent scans on Monday afternoon, which revealed the extent of the injury, which has also ruled him out of the SA20.
Nortjé has a long history of injuries curtailing his participation in major ICC 50-over events.
He missed the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales with a fractured thumb.
The Uitenhage-born speedster was then ruled out of a second successive World Cup in India in 2023, due to a persistent back problem.
The stress fracture in his back kept him from running in for the Pretoria Capitals in SA20 Season 2 last year as well.
He has since only played a limited amount of cricket for the Warriors domestically, and in the Abu Dhabi T10 last month.
Nortjé also suffered a toe injury on the eve of the Proteas’ home white-ball summer, which ruled him out of both the T20I and ODI series against Pakistan.
Despite all these flashing lights related to Nortjé’s injury record, Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter still placed his “trust” in the 31-year-old for the Champions Trophy.
Walter will now have to quickly reassess his options, with Nandré Burger and Lizaad Williams also still on the injury list.
The most likely replacement for Nortjé is Titans and Joburg Super Kings fast bowler Gerald Coetzee.
The 24-year-old was Nortjé’s replacement at the last World Cup in India too, and filled the gap more than adequately, finishing as the Proteas’ leading wicket-taker at the tournament.
Coetzee, however, has also only just returned to action after suffering a muscle strain in his right groin during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead last November.
Ironically, he made his comeback at the same venue on Tuesday evening for the Joburg Super Kings against Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20.
Coetzee showed no discomfort as he delivered three overs to claim 2/32. He also bashed a couple of sixes with the willow for good measure.
Cricket South Africa have certainly placed a high value on Coetzee’s fitness by instructing him to undergo a strength and rehabilitation programme during the past winter, which caused him to miss the ODI series against Afghanistan and Ireland, and the two-match Test series in Bangladesh.
A further option for Walter could possibly be teenage speedster Kwena Maphaka.
Originally Walter felt that it may be “just a bit early” to select Paarl Royals rising star in his original 15-man squad, because “there are other guys who are ahead of him and offer different skill-sets”.
However, he may now have to relook his options as Maphaka has been charging in for the Royals during the ongoing SA20, hitting speeds in excess of 140km/h regularly.
It may just be worth Walter’s while to take a punt on the exciting 18-year-old left-armer.
The Proteas begin their ICC Champions Trophy campaign on February 21 against Afghanistan. | Independent Media Sport