South Africa call up Reeza Hendricks for final two T20Is against Australia

The South African team’s misery continued as they faltered to their biggest defeat in T20Is when Australia beat them by 107 runs at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. The home team was skittled out for just 89 runs in the chase of 197-run target thanks to some amazing bowling from left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who picked up a fifer, which included a hat-trick as well.

Steve Smith top-scored with 45, while Aaron Finch also made a score in the forties, with Agar contributed 22 unbeaten runs in the end. The left-arm spinner then picked 5/24, the best bowling figures by an Australian in T20Is. He also picked a hat-trick by taking wickets of Faf du Plessis, Andile Phehlukwayo and Dale Steyn. He is the second Kangaroo bowler to achieve this feat after Brett Lee.

Now their problems have gotten complicated thanks to injuries to opener Temba Bavuma, who has been in good nick so far in the shortest format of the game, and to keeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen. The right-handed batsman had hit 66 in his last T20I innings against England, which helped South Africa put on a total of 222/6 in 20 overs.

Reeza Hendricks called in as replacement by CSA

Bavuma, who was tremendous against England, had been named in South African squad for the Australia series, but it was subjected to his fitness. The South African opener was carrying an injury from the final T20I game of the preceding series against England and was then diagnosed with a strain in his right hamstring.

On the other hand, Klaasen suffered an injury to his right hip in the Proteas team’s practice session ahead of the first T20I against Australia. “Both Bavuma and Klaasen will continue to be treated and will be reassessed ahead of the start of the second match,” CSA said in a statement.

#BreakingNews Reeza Hendricks has been called up to the Proteas’ T20 team as cover following the injuries of Temba Bavuma and Heinrich Klaasen. #SAvAUS #Thread pic.twitter.com/KUnXfI3mXd

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 23, 2020

30-year-old Reeza Hendricks has played 21 ODIs and 22 T20Is for South Africa after making his debut in 2014. He has 507 and 593 runs respectively in both formats with 1 century and 6 fifties to his name. He averages 26.95 in T20Is and 26.68 in ODIs with his strike rate in the 20-over format reading 121.76.

Hendricks was revealed to have already joined the South Africa team in training on Saturday evening ahead of Game 2 against Australia today (February 23) in Port Elizabeth.

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