Morkel ruled out of second Bangladesh Test

South Africa have picked up Cape Cobras fast bowler Dane Paterson as the replacement of injured pacer Morne Morkel for the second and final Test match against Bangladesh, starting Friday at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein. Morkel bowled 19 overs in the first innings of the first Test and picked up two wickets. In the second innings, the tall fast bowler produced a brilliant spell in the opening hour and bagged the wicket of opener Tamim Iqbal and No 3 batsman Mominul Haque in the very first over. Morkel also rattled the defence of Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim during the third over but later the dismissal was overturned as TV replays confirmed he had overstepped. The right-arm paceman only managed to bowl 5.2 overs on day four before limping off the ground with a side-strain injury.

#CSAnews @DanePaterson44 replaces injured Morkel https://t.co/GVfKcyGnYN pic.twitter.com/IDNeYqxNrs

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) October 2, 2017

Later, according to a South Africa team source, it was confirmed that the fast bowler could be ruled out for four to six weeks. “Morne complained of a sharp pain to his left side [Sunday] and immediately aborted his bowling spell. Subsequent scans this morning confirmed a grade two tear to the left abdominal oblique muscle which rules him out of the remainder of the series. He will need a four-six week recovery period and target a return for the T20 Global League in November,” said Proteas team manager, Mohammed Moosajee, who also happens to be a doctor. South Africa are also missing pacemen Dale Steyn, Chris Morris and Vernon Philander due to injury. The squad will travel to Bloemfontein Tuesday.