Tag: Anrich Nortje

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players Sunil Narine and Anrich Nortje found themselves at the centre of a rare equipment-related controversy as their bats failed the gauge test during their IPL 2025 clash against Punjab Kings on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, where Punjab Kings successfully defended a modest 111-run total, the lowest total ever defended in IPL history, to pull off a remarkable win.

As KKR prepared to chase 112, reserve umpire Saiyed Khalid was seen checking bats near the boundary line, just before the start of the innings.

Sunil Narine, opening the innings alongside young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, was stopped briefly as his bat failed to pass through the ICC-mandated bat gauge, due to excessive thickness. In contrast, Raghuvanshi’s bat was cleared without any issues.

Narine, despite the bat drama, came out to open the innings but couldn’t make an impact. He managed just 5 runs off 4 balls before being dismissed early in the chase.

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Later, in the 16th over, with KKR nine wickets down and chasing a fading target, last-man Anrich Nortje walked in, only to be stopped by on-field umpires Mohit Krishnadas and Saidharshan Kumar.

TV commentators revealed that Nortje’s bat, too, had failed the compliance check. Play was temporarily halted as KKR’s substitute player Rahmanullah Gurbaz sprinted in with a set of replacement bats.

One of them passed the gauge test, but Nortje didn’t even get to use it. On the very next ball, Andre Russell was bowled, ending KKR’s innings at 95 in 15.1 overs.

According to IPL equipment regulations, a bat must adhere to strict dimensions: a maximum width of 10.79 cm, blade thickness of up to 6.7 cm, edge thickness not exceeding 4 cm, and total length no more than 96.4 cm.

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South Africa have named all-rounder Corbin Bosch as a replacement for Anrich Nortje in the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Nortje was ruled out of the tournament after suffering a back injury last year and young talent Gerald Coetzee was being considered to replace him in the squad.

However, the side dealt with another blow as their premier all-rounder Coetzee was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 due to a hamstring niggle suffered during the SA20 tournament.

Now, all-rounder Corbin Bosch has been added to the South Africa squad for the marquee event, set to begin on February 19.

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The 30-year-old pacer made his international debut in December last year against Pakistan and has played just one ODI and a Test in his brief international career.

Apart from Corbin Bosch’s replacement, the Proteas have also added Kwena Maphaka as a travelling reserve in the squad for the tri-nation series and the Champions Trophy 2025.

The above-mentioned duo along with batter Tony de Zorzi will depart for Pakistan today to join the South Africa squad for the remainder of the single-league tournament.

South Africa will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Afghanistan on Friday 21 February at National Bank Stadium Karachi.

South Africa’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Temba Bavuma (capt), Corbin Bosch , Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen

South Africa squad for tri-nation series:

Temba Bavuma (c), Eathan Bosch, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, Gideon Peters, Lungi Ngidi, Meeka-eel Prince, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jason Smith and Kyle Verreynne.

READ: Pakistan team reaches Karachi for tri-nation series clash against South Africa

South Africa suffered a major blow ahead of the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 as fast bowler Anrich Nortje was on Tuesday ruled out of the eight-team event due to a back injury.

The latest injury setback for the 31-year-old was announced by Cricket South Africa (CSA) a day after he was named in his country’s 15-man squad for the tournament in Pakistan next month.

Nortje, at his peak the fastest bowler in international cricket, underwent a scan on Monday, according to a statement by CSA, “which revealed the extent of the injury”. The statement did not specify the exact nature of the injury.

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Anrich Nortje, who has played in 19 Tests, 22 one-day internationals and 42 T20 internationals, has not played any international cricket since the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados back in June last year.

He had been in line to make a comeback against Pakistan last month but suffered a broken toe while batting in the nets.

Nortje was also ruled out of the ongoing SA20 franchise competition in which he was due to play for Pretoria Capitals. CSA said a replacement would be named later.

South African squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen.

READ: Champions Trophy 2025: compete list of announced team squads

South Africa suffered a major setback ahead of the second T20I against Pakistan as fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the ongoing series as well as the upcoming ODI series.

The 31-year-old pacer did not participate in the first T20I, which South Africa won by 11 runs, due to a contusion to his left big toe.

He suffered the injury during a pre-match practice session and later scans confirmed that it was a fracture, sidelining him for the remainder of the series.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named uncapped all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem as the Nortje’s replacement for the remaining two T20Is against Pakistan.

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It’s worth noting that the South African cricket camp has recently encountered significant challenges due to fitness concerns surrounding several key players.

Aside from Anrich Nortje, the team is grappling with the absence of fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee, who is dealing with a groin injury, Nandre Burger, facing complications from a stress fracture in his lower back, and Lungi Ngidi, who is sidelined due to a hip issue.

Moreover, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who sustained a fractured finger during the first Test match against Sri Lanka, has also been ruled out.

The second T20I of the three-match series will be played in Centurion later today, while the series will culminate with the final T20I in Johannesburg tomorrow.

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After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

South Africa’s white-ball Squads

T20I: Heinrich Klaasen (c), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Dayyaan Galiem, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Simelane, and Rassie van der Dussen.

ODIs: Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

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NEW YORK: Fast bowler Anrich Nortje has defended the drop-in pitch used here for the low-scoring T20 World Cup 2024 match between South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Nortje bowled a brilliant spell, returning with figures of 4-7 in his four overs as South Africa booked Sri Lanka for a meagre 77.

In response, South Africa also struggled as they chased the paltry target in 16.2 overs after losing four wickets.

This was the first-ever match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York and the conditions came under criticism due to an uneven pitch and slow outfield.

However, Nortje rejected the assertion that the match was a poor representation of T20 cricket, arguing that not every game needs to feature 20 sixes to be entertaining.

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“I thought the game was great,” Nortje said. “It doesn’t always mean, correct me if I’m wrong, there needs to be 20 sixes in a game to make it entertaining.

“There’s still a lot of strategy that goes into the game. There’s a lot of skill that goes into the game, whether it’s sixes or fast bowlers or spinners, however, it might be. So, I thought the game was a brilliant game.

“It was still a close game at the end of the day, another wicket or two, and things might have been different. We might have been in a little bit more trouble.”

The pacer also acknowledged that the pitch was different from what players nowadays are accustomed to.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the wickets,” he said. “It’s [allowed to be] nice for bowlers as well. We are also allowed to get some sort of assistance

“It’s different to what guys have been used to for the last few months or years. There’s a little bit more in the wicket for the bowlers and I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

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SYDNEY: South Africa strike bowler Anrich Nortje claimed the key wickets of David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne on Wednesday to prise Australia’s grip on the third Test in Sydney as rain plagued the opening day.

Nortje was the Proteas’ star man as he removed Warner cheaply for 10 and late in the day denied Labuschagne (79) his 11th Test hundred.

As bad light and rain conspired to prematurely end the first day, Australia were 147 for two with Usman Khawaja, who averages 98 in Sydney Tests, unbeaten on 54 and Steven Smith yet to score.

Nortje got the big breakthrough with a ripper, taking the edge of Labuschagne’s bat to get him caught behind and end his 151-ball stay.

The pacer earlier struck in his second over of the day when he had Melbourne Test double-centurion Warner caught at slip by Marco Jansen for 10.

No sooner had Smith arrived at the wicket after Labuschagne’s dismissal than the players left the field for bad light for the final time.

It is the sixth bedevilled Sydney Test out of the past seven to be affected by rain.

There was controversy earlier in Labuschagne’s innings when on 70 he edged Jansen to Harmer at slip.

The on-field umpires referred the decision with a soft signal of out, only for third umpire Richard Kettleborough to rule that the ball had touched the ground between the fingers of Harmer.

Khawaja also survived a review straight after lunch on 25 as he reverse-swept Harmer and was given out leg before wicket, but replays showed the ball touching the glove.

The opening day was also marked by Matt Renshaw, recalled for his first Test for Australia since April 2018, returning a positive Covid-19 test after the toss was taken and the team composition confirmed.

But team officials said he would continue to play in the match with his symptoms only described as mild.

Renshaw was transferred to a separate dressing room from his teammates where he will prepare for the rest of the match, and spent most of play sitting away from the team runners near the Australian dug-out.

Skipper Pat Cummins won his fifth successive toss and decided to play an extra spinner with left-armer Ashton Agar, and Renshaw coming in to bolster the batting, squeezing out in-form paceman Scott Boland on a dry cracking Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

South Africa did likewise, with off-spinner Harmer ousting Lungi Ngidi while Heinrich Klaasen replaced Theunis de Bruyn at number three.

Apart from a series clean sweep, Australia will be looking to lock in a place in the ICC World Test Championship final in London in June. The Proteas still have an outside chance but must first cause an upset in Sydney.

The Australians have already wrapped up the three-match series after hammering the Proteas by an innings and 182 runs in Melbourne following a six-wicket rout in the opener in Brisbane inside two days.

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