Australia’s Champions Trophy squad also took a hit when Stoinis, playing in his second match of the SA20, left the field halfway through his third over. Stoinis had earlier hit an unbeaten 55 off 40 balls to give DSG a competitive total and bowled a two-over spell with a return of 1 for 15. He returned for the 18th over, with Paarl needing 24 runs off the last three overs, and bowled three balls before calling on the physio for what appeared to be a hamstring problem. He left the field after a short conversation and Wiaan Mulder had to complete the over.
Miller, meanwhile, did not bat during the Royals innings and was seen sitting in the changing room as his side secured a six-wicket win.
“With Lungi, we know big fast bowlers like him, they sometimes needed a couple of weeks to get back into that full flow and the rhythm. It’s a tough thing for fast bowlers. He was out [with a groin injury] for like eight weeks. So he’s on a programme where he’s almost back now. So we played him in the first few games so he could get some game time. And I’m sure when we go to the Highveld, he’s going to be straight back in,” Penney said.
South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter will be particularly concerned about Ngidi because of the number of fast bowling injuries in the country, one of which has already affected the Champions Trophy squad. Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the tournament with a back injury while the bowler most likely to replace him, Gerald Coetzee, is out of the SA20 with a hamstring injury. South Africa are yet to name a player in Nortje’s place but will have to do so before the ICC’s squad deadline on February 11.
