Proteas seamer Vernon Philander will return to South Africa to recover from a groin injury sustained in the opening game of his stint with Sussex.
Philander had joined former Proteas teammates and Kolpak signings Stiaan van Zyl and David Wiese at the county in a bid to adapt to English conditions ahead of the Proteas tour later this year as Sussex chase promotion to Division one of the County Championship.
In a media release Sussex declared: “Sussex regret to announce that overseas player Vernon Philander will be out of action for a period of two to three weeks, as a result of the groin injury sustained during the Specsavers County Championship match with Kent at Hove this weekend, which prevented him from bowling partly in the 1st innings, and Completely in the Second.
“Philander is due to return to South Africa this week for rest, recovery and rehabilitation.
“We are pleased that he will return to Hove – subject to him passing a fitness test – to be available for the remaining four Specsavers County Championship matches of his agreed contract with the club, beginning with the match against Durham on Sunday 21st May, finishing in the middle of June. He will now however be unavailable for Sussex’s Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.”
Philander has not been included in the Proteas Champions Trophy or ODI squads for the England tour but if fit will play in the Test series.
