Boje fractures his fibula

Nicky Boje has undergone surgery after fracturing his left fibula while fielding in the NatWest Series one-day international against England at Edgbaston on July 8. Boje, who was substituting for Martin van Jaarsveld, also suffered medial-ligament damage in his ankle, and is expected to be out of action for at least four months.

Boje had come onto the field at the drinks break and was fielding at extra cover. His immediate reaction was one of pain as he screamed to the dressing-rooms for assistance, and, after a swift assessment by the physiotherapist, he was carried from the field by his team-mates before being taken by ambulance to the Selly Oak West Midlands hospital.

South Africa's coach Eric Simons reflected the feelings of the tightly knit squad: "I feel desperately sorry for Nicky. He has had injury problems before with his shoulder, and now this. I just hope he will recover quickly, as he has made a positive impact on the squad both on and off the field."

And what was the injury to van Jaarsveld that necessitated the substitution that brought Boje on to field? Gerald de Kock, South Africa's media spokesman, put it this way: "van Jaarsveld got hit in the box before play and during his innings and that got more and more painful."

Well, at least his fibula's still all right.