Injured Kallis unable to bowl, but can bat

Jacques Kallis will not be able to bowl for the remainder of the second Test but he will be able to bat, South Africa's team management has said, after the allrounder sustained a hamstring injury in the first session and went off the Adelaide Oval. His availability for the third Test in Perth will depend on how he responds to treatment.

Kallis had taken two wickets in 3.3 overs to reduce Australia to 55 for 3 when he aborted his run-up and immediately went off the field. He did not return for the rest of the day, and will now have to spend as much time on the field as he spends off it if South Africa want him to bat wherever they wish. If he is unable to spend enough time on the field, South Africa will have to push him down the batting order to No. 7 or later.

"Jacques has suffered a Grade 1 strain to his right hamstring," Mohammed Moosajee, the South Africa team manager, said. "He will not be able to bowl in the current Test match but can bat, we can only make a call on his availability for the next Test match closer to the time as it is subject to how he responds to treatment."

After the day's play, with South Africa having conceded 482 runs, their coach Gary Kirsten said the injury was one Kallis had not had before. "We don't really know what it is yet. He is a little bit sore. He made a wise decision in that as soon as he felt a twinge, he got off the park."

South Africa's other injury concern is Vernon Philander, who was ruled out of the second Test this morning and Rory Kleinveldt had to fill in. Kirsten was in the hotel lift on the way to breakfast when he got the message that Philander had woken up with a bad back.

"He got out of bed this morning and he couldn't bend. That probably hasn't happened to many of us. It only happened to me once," Kirsten said. "You feel a lock, a spasm and usually it doesn't last long. We hoped it would ease in the time that we woke up to when we had to go to the ground but it didn't."

A scan revealed Philander's injury to be less serious. "Vernon's scan reveals nothing more than a lower lumbar muscle strain as initially suspected," Moosajee said. "He will receive treatment and undergo rehabilitation during the course of the current Test match and we are hopeful he will be fit for the final Test in Perth."

During the final session of the first day, Dale Steyn also went off the field in the middle of his 15th over, with a tight left hamstring. He was treated in the dressing room and returned shortly after. He bowled again and took the wicket of Michael Hussey to end the day. Kirsten was confident Steyn's niggle will not recur. "He came back onto the field and he felt okay, so I think he is fine."