By IANS,
Sydney : Vaughn Bernard van Jaarsveld will fly in as a stand by option to South African skipper Graeme Smith, whose elbow injury might keep him out of next week’s Sydney Test.
Smith, who made 48 and 101 in his side’s six-wicket win in the first Test in Perth last week, has lined up for the second Test in Melbourne but only after having further treatment on his elbow.
Jaarsveld, 23, a hard-hitting left-hander, will arrive here Sunday. The uncapped player was originally scheduled to land with the one-day squad in the second week of January.
“Vaughn will provide us with cover for both Ashwell Prince and Graeme Smith,” coach Mickey Arthur was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph.
“It will also provide him with a valuable opportunity to work with the national squad as he is the only member of the one-day international squad who did not attend our pre-season camp in October,” he added.
Prince has missed the first and second Tests with a thumb injury and was replaced by Jean Paul Duminy. The third and final Test starts in Sydney Jan 3. Australia will also host the Proteas for two Twenty20 internationals Jan 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground(MCG) and two days later at the Gabba. A five-match one-day series kicks off Jan 16 at the MCG.