CONRAD PAAPING OVER INJURED PROTEAS STARS

PROTEAS coach Shukri Conrad must be counting the days when SA20 ends with his span facing an injury crisis ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup.

Conrad has only been able to look on as two key manne of his 15-player World Cup squad suffered injuries over the past few days that could potentially rule them out.

Paarl Royals captain David Miller did not come out to bat in his team’s defeat to Joburg Super Kings at Boland Park on Monday after injuring his groin while fielding.

Royals coach Trevor Penney does not believe Miller’s condition to be too serious, although the exact prognosis will only be revealed after the experienced batter has undergone a checkup.

Penney wysed: “We’re not sure if he tweaked his groin or if it’s a bit stiff. So, he’s in the ice bath, he’s getting treatment. We didn’t want to risk him today [Monday] because he potentially could have ripped it.

“So hopefully he’s going to be fine for the game in Pretoria [on Thursday] . We don’t know. Physio just was very precautionary and he was a bit worried about it.

“But he’s walking around and hopefully, touch wood, he’s going to be fine.”

Miller’s progress will be closely monitored after fellow middle-order batter Donovan Ferreira was ruled out of the remainder of the SA20 last Saturday.

Ferreira injured his shoulder while attempting to save a boundary during the Super Kings’ clash against Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers.

The allrounder fell awkwardly, which later forced him to retire hurt, after facing just one ball when he came out to bat. It is understood that he has suffered a fracture after undergoing a scan.

While neither player has been ruled of the World Cup as yet, Conrad will no doubt be looking at replacement options.