South African coach Mickey Arthur has said that a final decision on whether to include fast bowler Dale Steyn and all-rounder Jacques Kallis for the second Test against England, starting on Saturday will be taken today.
Arthur said that Steyn, who missed the first Test in Centurion after he suffered a hamstring injury, has shown comparative improvement after bowling in the nets.
“He bowled 10 overs at full pace yesterday, and had no comebacks on it. I'm sure he'll be fit and ready, but we don't want a situation like we had in Centurion, so we will probably decide tomorrow,” Sapa quoted Arthur, as saying.
“As for Jakes (Jacques Kallis, who is recovering from a fractured rib), we'll be a little conservative. As a fifth bowler, you're not looking for too many overs from him through the Test match. We wouldn't want to push him and risk further injury further down the line, but he's looking ok, so we hope we can get at least 12 overs a day from him,” he added.
The coach further said that he was satisfied with the way that his team played during the first game, after a nine-month absence from the Test arena.
“I think it was a very good Test performance. We were put under pressure twice in the Test, and we responded well to that. But we're nil-nil in the series, and it all starts again on Saturday. The series is up for grabs,” Arthur said.
