CAPE TOWN: South African batsmen Temba Bavuma and Theunis de Bruyn are both on track to be fit and available for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Both players have been rested from this week’s domestic four-day series action with niggles, and there were concerns earlier in the week that Bavuma’s hamstring strain was worse than initially feared.

The good news, though, is that a scan has revealed no damage to the hamstring and the Proteas medical team says he will be good to go by Boxing Day.

Bavuma was actually set to play for the CSA Invitation XI in the ongoing warm-up match against Pakistan in Benoni, but he has instead been undergoing rehab to his injury.

De Bruyn is in a similar boat. He has been struggling with a lower back strain, but has also been cleared for Boxing Day.

Both players are training at ‘full tilt’ according to CSA selection convener Linda Zondi, and they will continue to do so throughout the weekend under the guidance of head coach Ottis Gibson.

This series is an important one for both players, with de Bruyn looking to establish himself in this Test side while Bavuma will want to solidify his position as a senior member.

The Proteas, for the first time in a while on the Test stage, are having their depth tested, particularly in the fast bowling department.

With Lungi Ngidi out until February with an injured knee and Vernon Philander ruled out of the first Test with a fractured finger, Duane Olivier will get an opportunity at Centurion.

He will bowl alongside Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, but should Gibson and skipper Faf du Plessis want to go in with four seamers, then they will select the uncapped Dane Paterson, who was on Friday confirmed as an addition to the squad for the first Test.

The 29-year-old Paterson does have three ODIs and eight T20Is to his name, but he has never been part of the Proteas Test set-up before.

“We have been looking at him for some time,” Zondi said. “He [Paterson] is a bowler who has performed on the domestic scene consistently for a long time and he will be our back-up for the first Test.”

Paterson is currently in action for the Cape Cobras against the Warriors in Port Elizabeth, where he picked up 2-40 in the Warriors’ first innings.

In 93 first-class matches before this one, Paterson has picked up 321 wickets at an average of just 23.56.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2018