Proteas seamer Beuran Hendricks has been forced out of the ODI series against Zimbabwe thanks to an injury sustained while playing for SA A in Australia.

Hendricks, who has played five T20Is for South Africa, was initially selected for the Proteas squad to play the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. It was seen as an opportunity to give an ODI debut to the left-armer against the minnow opposition.

However, it was announced on Tuesday that Hendricks will no longer play any part in the series after suffering a lumbar (lower back) injury while he was in Australia playing for SA A.

Hendricks struggled on the tour Down Under, taking just five wickets in the five 50-over games he played for South Africa A, and conceding more than 50 runs on four occasions.

His absence will be felt in the Proteas camp, though, as he has now been a part of the squad since the beginning of 2014, and his death bowling in the T20Is has been valuable, when he has found his rhythm.

The issue is compounded by the fact that the Proteas’ three frontline seamers, Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel, will all be rested for the series. This leaves a relatively inexperienced bowling lineup, with Ryan McLaren (43 ODIs), Wayne Parnell (34 ODIs), Kyle Abbott (2 ODIs), Marchant de Lange (1 ODI) and Mthokozisi Shezi (uncapped) providing the seam options, while Imran Tahir (16 ODIs) and Aaron Phangiso (5 ODIs) are the frontline spinners.

The up side to the situation is it means that the backup seamers will be able to gain some valuable match practice ahead of a busy ODI season, where there are sure to be more casualties.

The Proteas play their first ODI against Zimbabwe at 10am on Sunday 17 August in Bulawayo.

The full squad for the series is: AB de Villiers (c), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Rilee Rossouw, Mthokozisi Shezi.

Photo: Sabelo Mngoma/Backpagepix