Morne Morkel’s back injury almost ended his career, but he is now fit and ready to play for the Titans on Friday. 

The 32-year-old paceman has been out injured since July 2016, when he picked up a back injury in the Carribean Premier League.

He has struggled to recover since then, making various attempts to get match-fit prior to the Proteas’ Australia tour. He played in one Sunfoil Series match for the Titans and in three warm-up fixtures before the tour, but he was declared unfit to play against the Aussies last year and also for Sri Lanka’s tour to SA in January.

Morkel’s main aim is to be selected for the Proteas’ Test side who will face the Black Caps in New Zealand in March. He hopes to regain full form during what will be his first game in three months, the One Day Cup for the Titans, starting on Friday.

Morkel has shown his commitment to play for his country by withdrawing from this year’s IPL, in order to give him enough time to fully recover for the England Test series in July.

Speaking to Times Live ahead of the opening One Day Cup fixture, Morkel expressed some doubt over his career.

‘No one was 100 percent sure of what was going on with my back, and to be honest there was a time when I was in doubt about my future‚’ said Morkel.

‘I was told that I would never be able to play cricket again.

‘One doctor actually told me that my days as a player were numbered, which was not a nice thing to hear.’