Amla’s Stay Cut Short With Steyn To Step In

Hampshire Cricket can announce that South African fast-bowler Dale Steyn, who made his debut for the Club this week, will take the place of Hashim Amla for three further matches this month with the batsman unable to return due to injury.

Amla, who suffered a minor knee injury in May, returned to South Africa late last month for fitness testing and medical screening with the national side, and the decision has been made that he won’t return in order to ensure his recovery before South Africa’s Test series against Sri Lanka this July.

Steyn will now be available for the two Specsavers County Championship matches later this month against Yorkshire and Lancashire in his place, as well as this weekend’s fixture against Surrey which was earmarked as the seamer’s four-day debut after signing for the Club in April.

The right-armer will also be available for the Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final fixture to be held at the The Ageas Bowl on the 17^th or 18^th June after James Vince’s side secured top spot in the South Group.

Amla was prolific throughout his nine-match stint at the The Ageas Bowl, totalling 611 runs at an average of more than 50 in both four-day and List A matches during April and May.

The 35-year-old also topped the list of County Championship run-getters after the opening five fixtures, recording two centuries and three fifties in his nine innings’.