Ngam in action. CAPE TOWN, (Reuters) -
SOUTH African fast bowler Mfuneko Ngam will be out of action for at least three months and miss the tour of the West Indies, the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) said yesterday.
Ngam was diagnosed with a stress fracture of his right thigh after the second Test against Sri Lanka in Cape Town at the beginning of January.
He underwent several blood tests to identify the cause of the injury but all produced normal results.
Dr Andre Killian, who sits on the UCBSA medical committee and who ordered the tests, said there was no evidence of any deficiency which would make Ngam susceptible to injury.
"We did a bone density test which showed all his bones to be of normal density, as well as various blood tests which all came up normal. The injury has been caused by over-exertion," Killian said.
Killian said that Ngam's habit of running daily as well as putting in hours of extra bowling practice had contributed to the problem.
"It's an over-use injury in an athlete who pushes himself very hard. He has a long career ahead of him and it's not worth rushing him back for this tour," he said.
Ngam said he was disappointed to be missing out on the Caribbean tour, which starts in March.
"But I want to get better so I can look ahead to other tours and the World Cup in 2003," he said.
