South Africa's hopes of getting back into the first Test against England suffered a major setback when pace spearhead Dale Steyn suffered a shoulder strain.
With South Africa's line-up missing a genuine fourth seamer, and a 89-run first-innings lead to overcome, Steyn was surprisingly sent back out to field within minutes of leaving the pitch mid-over and in obvious discomfort.
That was a risky measure for South Africa, who clearly decided they could not afford him to be absent for too long - thereby affecting his availability to bowl later, should he be able to.
Steyn missed the last three matches of South Africa's Test tour in India with a groin injury and came through a vigorous fitness test before lining up on Boxing Day for the start of the England series.
Steyn limps off after sustaining the shoulder injury on the third day of the first Test Photo: REX FEATURES
South Africa improbably asked Steyn to bowl the 21st over, having initially been injured in the seventh.
The 32-year-old charged in manfully for three balls, coming within centimetres of of bowling Nick Compton via a deflection off the bat and then going up for an ambitious caught behind.
But once that was rejected, Steyn was again feeling the pain and the sight of him walking off with the physio for the second time cast serious concerns over the home side's judgement.
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