Australian Injuries Persist

Ricky Ponting is in doubt for the second one-day international against South Africa with his continued stomach injury.

Ponting’s injury was caused in the nets prior to the first one-day international at Centurion, with team physiotherapist Errol Alcott saying “He jumped in the air with his legs up and bent his trunk down really forcefully at the same time”. A MRI scan showed “some sheering stress that’s gone through the muscle”.

With Andrew Symonds also suffering injury problems with a hip flexor strain, New South Wales batsman Phil Jaques has been called up as cover should the injuries persist.

Jaques has had a golden summer with the bat in domestic cricket scoring 683 domestic one-day runs at 85.37 with four centuries in ten matches. He also made his ODI debut in the recently completed VB Series competition scoring 94 against South Africa in Melbourne.

The next one-dayer is in Cape Town on March 3rd.