Proteas fast bowling woes mount with Gerald Coetzee ruled out

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter’s fast bowling headaches multiplied on Sunday after Gerald Coetzee was ruled out of the remainder of the SA20 with a hamstring injury.

The Joburg Super Kings tearaway played in his team’s opener against Durban’s Super Giants last week but subsequently missed the next match against Pretoria Capitals and the “El Clasico” against MI Cape Town at Newlands.

PLAYER UPDATE 🗞️

Proteas Men’s fast bowler Gerald Coetzee, who will miss the remainder of the Betway SA20 due to a left hamstring strain, remains in contention for selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.

Coetzee will be closely monitored by the Proteas medical… pic.twitter.com/8FB4SltPY1

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) January 19, 2025

The Proteas have already been rocked by Anrich Nortje’s withdrawal from the Proteas’ Champions Trophy squad due to a back injury last week.

Coetzee, who was the Proteas’ leading wicket-taker at the 2023 World Cup in India, was being lined up as a like-for-like replacement in the pace department.

Cricket SA have not officially ruled Coetzee out of Champions Trophy contention as yet with squads only needing to be finalised by February 11, but it does look unlikely that the 24-year-old will be ready for such a high intensity tournament.

The Joburg Super Kings have stated that Coetzee will “undergo medical assessments and rehabilitation“.

The further frustrating aspect for the Proteas and JSK is that Coetzee underwent a strength and rehabilitation programme during the winter, which saw him miss the white-ball series against Afghanistan and Ireland as well as the Test against Bangladesh

Overall, it has certainly been an injury-plagued summer for fast bowlers in South Africa.

The Joburg Super Kings have now lost Coetzee alongside fellow Proteas seamers Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams to long-term injuries.

The Capitals have been without Nortje’s services with Daryn Dupavillion also now set to miss the remainder of the SA20.

Paarl Royals’ Lungi Ngidi and Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Ottniel Baartman have also missed sections of the season but are now back playing for their respective teams.

Joburg Super Kings assistant coach Albie Morkel is certainly concerned by the number of fast bowlers breaking down with injuries in South Africa.

“I think currently there's about nine South African fast bowlers injured across all the teams,” Morkel said.

“So it is a worrying thing trying to find reasons why. Maybe it's the lack of cricket. I don't know.

“We have to see because, you know, most of the franchises, local domestic franchises, do have good fitness trainers. So it is a problem.

“I mean, we lost three big guys in Lizaad, Nandre and Gerald recently.

“So, yeah, it's big for us and we have to juggle with the guys that we have.”