Proteas bowler Gerald Coetzee withdrawn from Test series in West Indies

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee has been replaced by Migael Pretorius in the Proteas squad for next month’s two-match Test series against West Indies due to injury, Cricket South Africa confirmed on Thursday.

The 23-year-old speedster, a key member of the squad, had been ruled out after picking up a left side strain while playing for Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket series in the United States earlier this month.

Coetzee was assessed by the Proteas medical team after returning home, and he had not been cleared to take part in the tour.

Pretorius recalled

Uncapped 29-year-old fast bowler Pretorius would replace Coetzee in the squad, with Pretorius returning to the Test setup for the first time since December 2020.

Pretorius has taken 188 wickets in 64 first-class matches in his eight-year top-flight career, with his most recent red-ball outings garnering 23 wickets in eight matches for Somerset in the ongoing County Championship in England.

The SA team will face West Indies in the first Test in Trinidad and Tobago starting on 7 August, and the second match will be contested in Guyana from 15 August.

Proteas Test squad

Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Migael Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Kyle Verreynne