Fractured toe rules out Proteas' David Bedingham for 'four to six weeks' ahead of World Test final

The Proteas Men’s team have suffered a scare after David Bedingham suffered a toe injury, but the middle-order batter is expected to be fit for the ICC World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June.

Bedingham has been warming up for the WTC final by playing for his English County Championship team Durham, where he has scores of 68, 43, 58 and 45 in four innings.

The 31-year-old was the leading run-scorer in last season’s County Championship with 1331 runs in 18 innings at an average of 78.29. 

Former Proteas opener Dean Elgar was second with 1144 runs in 21 innings for Essex at an average of 57.20.

However, Bedingham’s County season may now be cut short after being struck on the toe whilst batting last week against Warwickshire.

Bedingham was forced to miss Durham’s draw with Yorkshire after a scan revealed a fracture.

Cricket SA’s medical team confirmed the fracture in the match against the Bears with an expected recovery time of “four to six weeks”.

Bedingham will remain in England during his rehabilitation where Durham’s Science and Medicine team will continue to assess the batter regularly ahead of a return to play.

Bedingham’s injury is on the back of the Proteas captain Temba Bavuma having suffered a recurrence of his elbow injury last week that forced him to miss the Cricket SA 4-Day Series final at the Wanderers.

Bavuma fractured his left elbow in 2022, which forced him out of Proteas’ tour to England that year and sidelined him for three months.

There are just on seven weeks remaining before the WTC final against Australia, which starts on June 11.