Newly appointed Australia skipper Tim Paine had suffered a painful blow on his thumb during the second day’s play in the ongoing Test at the Wanderers.
The 33-year old Tasmanian was hit while keeping when he came up to the stumps to keep for debutant Chadd Sayers. Paine misjudged the length and could not gather the ball as he endured an awkward blow.
The Australian physio was immediately onto the pitch, to provide medical assistance, as he slowly ensured he stayed on the field till the end of South African innings. Paine had also come onto bat during the end of day’s play.
Australian camp has confirmed he suffered a hairline fracture on his thumb. They, however, also revealed he will continue to bat on Day 3. Paine had taken a couple of pain-killers to stay on the field during South African innings.
He might have to take couple more to ensure he stays at the crease for as long as possible after the visitors were reduced to just 110/6 at the end of day’s play on Saturday.
It is quite an occurrence in cricket when a wicketkeeper suffers an odd blow on his hand.
However, considering the injury record of Paine in the past, it is obviously scary for Australian fans. Having made his debut alongside Steven Smith in 2010, then young Paine had taken a nasty blow on his index finger while playing 148.2km/h thunderbolt from Dirk Nannes in a 2010 exhibition game.
It had taken him seven surgeries for him to be back to normal and almost threatened to end his career. The keeper still has eight pins, a metal plate and a piece of hip bone in the finger which remains unnatural after all the surgeries.
“Because of the way I catch, if I go fingers up it pretty much hits right on it. It hurts for a little bit and then it goes away,” Paine said after his shock Ashes call-up last November.
“If I go to hit the ball really hard and I toe it, it tends to rattle it a little bit.”
Considering that there is a leadership crisis in Cricket Australia right now, let us hope that the injury is nothing serious.