Eastern province

CSA T20 Challenge: South African speedster Anrich Nortje, who hasn’t featured in any competitive cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) in May, is set to make his return in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) T20 Challenge this weekend. The fast bowler, no longer on a national contract, has been picked up by the Durban-based Dolphins for this season’s competition and is expected to feature in their opening match against the Tuskers at Kingsmead on Saturday.

Nortje has now fully recovered from his most recent setback - a stress reaction that sidelined him from South Africa’s winter assignments. As a result, he was not included in the squads for the T20 series in Zimbabwe or the white-ball tours to Australia and England. His last appearance for South Africa came in the T20 World Cup final in June 2024.

Since then, the 30-year-old quick had been considered for a Test comeback last summer, but a fractured toe followed by a back injury derailed those plans. Nortje missed the SA20, made a brief return during the IPL - playing just two matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders - and skipped both the MLC and international cricket to focus on a lengthy rehabilitation program.