SA feel the strain as Rabada battles stomach cramps, Jansen back stiffness

South Africa’s bowling attack was pushed to its limits on Day 2 of the final Test at Newlands, as frontline quicks Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen both suffered physical setbacks during Australia’s first-innings build. With Australia taking the lead and six wickets still in hand, the Proteas found themselves navigating a taxing period both on the field and on the medical table. The new-ball pair—who were instrumental in South Africa's success in Gqeberha last week by taking six wickets each—were forced off the field after the tea break. At that stage, Australia had moved to 191 for 4 with the ball 54 overs old. Rabada Battling Stomach Cramps and Pace Drop Kagiso Rabada, who recently returned to Test cricket following a year-long absence due to a serious hamstring injury, struggled to replicate the fiery rhythm he displayed at St George’s Park. After bowling 35 overs across two innings in the previous Test, the quick turnaround appeared to take a physical toll. So far in this innings, Rabada has bowled 18 wicketless overs for 81 runs. His speed was visibly lower than last week, dropping from his peak of 154.5 km/h (averaging in the 140s) to the mid-to-upper 130s, alongside struggles with his length control. Rabada left the field after tea due to stomach cramps and, despite returning briefly during the third session to share the second new ball, he left the ground again before the close of play. "He's got some stomach cramps, so he came off the field. I don't know if it's related to last week. It's just something that came about today. He wasn't at his best today, so hopefully he'll recover soon. We're not quite sure what it is yet." — Piet Botha, South Africa Bowling Coach Rabada is expected to return to action on Day 3, provided his condition improves overnight. Jansen Manages Back Stiffness Marco Jansen also delayed his entry after the tea break, receiving treatment for back stiffness. However, he returned to the field within a few overs and managed to complete 14 overs for the day, returning figures of 2 for 37. Cricket South Africa confirmed that Jansen’s treatment during tea was routine management for general stiffness rather than a major injury. Speaking on the physical demands placed on the squad, bowling coach Piet Botha emphasized that the fatigue is consistent with a team adapting back to the physical rigors of Test cricket after a long hiatus. "We're three weeks into the Test season, so you can expect guys to be getting a little bit of a pain here and there because of, maybe, bowling a lot of overs. I don't think it's serious at this stage." — Piet Botha Heavy Workloads and Rotation Challenges The physical strain on the bowling lineup stems from a heavy workload following a prolonged period without long-format cricket. Prior to this series, South Africa had not played a Test match since their tour of India late last year. After enforcing the follow-on in Gqeberha, the Proteas bowled 149.4 overs across two days, leaving only a four-day gap before the Newlands match. The heavy workload led to one change in the playing XI: Anrich Nortje was ruled out after sustaining a groin injury at St George’s Park. Gerald Coetzee was brought in as his replacement, making his first Test appearance in nearly two years. Coetzee bowled 14 overs on Day 2, conceding 54 runs without taking a wicket. While he generated high pace and delivered several effective bouncers, he struggled for overall consistency. Botha noted that Coetzee's control issues were likely down to a lack of recent match practice, expressing confidence that his line and length will settle as he gets more overs under his belt. Match Outlook With Australia already holding a first-innings lead and four sessions completed, South Africa's medical team faces a vital task overnight. The Proteas will rely heavily on Rabada's recovery to regain control and restrict Australia’s lead on Day 3.