South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje left the field with a suspected right groin injury in the opening session of day four of the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha on 21 October 2026. He went off three balls into his fourth over, which left the hosts a bowler short while Australia were batting for a second time after being made to follow on.
Nortje finished with figures of 3.3 overs, 0 maidens, 5 runs and 1 wicket. His victim was Marnus Labuschagne, who was caught by Simon Harmer at third slip, a dismissal that left Australia on 45 for 4. Cricket South Africa confirmed after the interval that he would not be back out on the field, and he is not expected to play any further role in the contest.
Australia had earlier been bowled out for 99 in their first innings, with Marco Jansen taking five wickets. Steven Smith, who reached 11,000 Test runs along the way, top-scored with 28. South Africa had declared their own first innings at 425/9, and they then chose to enforce the follow-on, which put Australia back in to bat.
By the close of day four, Australia had reached 156/4 in their second innings, with Travis Head unbeaten on 87. The visitors still trailed by 170 runs. The match is scheduled to run from 18 to 22 October, so day five falls on 22 October, when South Africa will try to finish the job with a reduced attack.
Nortje had only just returned to Test cricket in this series. He sent down 40 overs in the first Test in Durban, which was his first Test, and first first-class match, in more than three and a half years. There had been questions over whether he could recover quickly between games, yet he had shown impressive pace in training two days before this match.
His absence adds to a growing list of fitness worries in the home pace group. Kagiso Rabada missed the start of the series with a hamstring strain, and Lungi Ngidi is also sidelined. Ottneil Baartman and Kwena Maphaka are both dealing with hamstring problems, which means Dane Paterson and Gerald Coetzee are the reserve pacers left in the squad.
The two teams are playing a World Test Championship series. Australia won the first Test in Durban, played from 9 to 13 October, by 214 runs. After the conclusion of the Gqeberha match, attention will turn to the third Test, which is scheduled for 27 to 31 October in Cape Town.