CENTURION: Photographer Christiaan Kotze became part of the story on Thursday when he was injured in front of the sightscreen and caused a delay to the start of a Test match — and possibly contributed to South African batsman Dean Elgar’s wicket.

Kotze, on assignment for AFP, had finished shooting some pre-play images before the first Test between South Africa and England. He was walking in front of the sightscreen when he tripped on the boundary rope and then lost his footing on a slippery pitch cover.

He collapsed in severe pain from what was diagnosed as badly-sprained right knee ligaments and needed medical treatment on the spot before he was carried away on a stretcher.

The start of the match was delayed by several minutes - and when it began Elgar played a loose shot and was caught behind down the leg side off the first ball of the match, delivered by James Anderson.

Kotze’s his wife Catherine took over his ground level camera, while after treatment he hobbled up to a more comfortable position in the press box.

“I hope I didn’t cause Dean Elgar to lose concentration,” he said. “But when I was limping past some English guys they thanked me for the wicket.”

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2019