Tim Paine to play on despite fractured thumb

The blow Tim Paine copped on his right hand while keeping wickets during the second day of the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa in Johannesburg has resulted in a hairline fracture on his thumb, Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed on Sunday.

Paine was standing up to Chadd Sayers, the debutant medium pacer, while Quinton de Kock was on strike and was struck by a delivery that rose sharply and beat the batsman’s outside edge. This was in the 98th over of the South African first innings on the second morning.

Paine, the new Australia Test captain following the suspensions handed out to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft for their role in the ball-tampering incident in the third Test in Cape Town, looked uncomfortable but continued keeping till the end of the over before summoning David Beakley, the team physiotherapist. Beakley inspected the injury and then cleared Paine to carry on.

According to CA, “Beakley and team doctor Richard Saw went out during the morning drinks break to check on Paine's sore digit, which it's understood was also sore at the end of day one.”

Paine, who had earlier played his part in Sayers picking up his first Test wicket when he pouched the chance offered by AB de Villiers, continued keeping and also took the catch of Keshav Maharaj off Pat Cummins later in the innings.

He then walked out to bat at No.7 with Australia at 96/5 in their reply to South Africa’s 488, and hung around till the end of the second day to be unbeaten on 5 as Australia got to 110/6. It was confirmed that he would bat on the third day too.

Paine has had a history of hand injuries, the worst of them coming when he broke his right index finger while batting against Dirk Nannes in an exhibition game in 2010. The injury, a recurring one, has required seven rounds of surgery and still has eight pins and a metal plate in the area.