Anrich Nortje's injury rocks South Africa during 2nd Test against Australia

October 21, 2026

South Africa suffered a major setback during the fourth day of their second Test against Australia when fast bowler Anrich Nortje was forced to leave the pitch mid-over due to an apparent physical issue. Having already dismissed Marnus Labuschagne earlier in the innings, Nortje walked off after delivering three balls of the twentieth over, requiring spinner Simon Harmer to complete the remaining deliveries.

Prior to his departure, the pacer had conceded only five runs across three and a half overs. The development comes as Temba Bavuma and his squad look to level the series following an opening defeat in Durban, bolstered by Bavuma's massive first-innings century of 179 runs and supporting knocks from Marco Jansen and Simon Harmer that brought the hosts' total to 425.

With conditions favoring fast bowling, Jansen has capitalized effectively in Nortje's absence, capturing four wickets as the Australian batting lineup struggles at 65 for six.