The Proteas face the mammoth task of trying to chase down 466 at the Wanderers, with the medical team now trying to get Vernon Philander fit enough to play his part.

Philander,  playing in his last Test, was withdrawn from the field midway into his second over with a grade-two hamstring tear.

The all-rounder underwent scans on Sunday which confirmed the injury. With two days left to play, the 34-year-old will be called upon to bat at some stage with the work already under way to have him do so.

‘The medical team will try to manage the injury to give him a chance to bat if required,’ a Cricket South Africa statement read on Monday morning.

Such has been the sorry state of the South African batsmen in the series that Philander is fourth on the runs list ahead of opener Pieter Malan and captain Faf du Plessis.

Only Quinton De Kock, Dean Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen have contributed more.

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