PORT OF SPAIN, April 16: South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph is doubtful for the third Test against West Indies with a back injury. The left-hander sustained the injury while bowling in the nets on Friday.

“A decision has not been taken on his fitness for the third Test, but he is doubtful,” Enver Mall, the South African selector on tour, told reporters on Saturday.

Rudolph was a late withdrawal from the South African team to play a two-day match against a University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor’s XI in St Augustine, near Port of Spain, starting on Saturday.

Jacques Kallis will replace Rudolph in the team and

Boeta Dippenaar, Rudolph’s likely replacement if he does not make the third Test starting in Bridgetown on April 21, is also playing in the tour match.

Nicky Boje will lead South Africa with captain Graeme Smith sitting out while regular wicket-keeper Mark Boucher will play as a batsman and A.B. de Villiers will go behind the stumps.

The Chancellor’s XI will be captained by former West Indies wicket-keeper/batsman Ridley Jacobs while the team also includes Bangladesh Test captain Habibul Bashar, India’s Shikhar Dhawan and West Indies internationals Tino Best, Fidel Edwards and Dave Mohammed.

South Africa lead the four-match Test-series 1-0.—Reuters