{
  "id": 12100240,
  "title": "South Africa's Nortje eyes test return against Australia after lengthy absence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/south-africas-nortje-eyes-test-return-against-australia-after-lengthy",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T07:40:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40442708/south-africas-nortje-eyes-test-return-against-australia-after-lengthy-absence"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Durban: South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje may return to first-class cricket after a gap of nearly four years to bolster the injury-riddled South African attack in the upcoming Test against Australia, scheduled to begin in Durban on Friday. Due to fitness concerns affecting pace-bowling star Kagiso Rabada and three other bowlers sidelined with hamstring injuries, Nortje is poised to resume his career in red-ball cricket for the first time since South Africa's test triumph over West Indies in March 2023. The last time Nortje played a first-class match was in that same victory. An array of injuries, including back and hip issues, prompted him to concentrate on shorter formats, where bowling in brief spells alleviated the burden on his body. The 32-year-old has transformed into a T20 specialist but revealed on Sunday he has been honing his red-ball skills. \"I've been putting a lot of effort into executing skills with the red ball, gradually building and ensuring the overs are added in the right way,\" he told reporters. \"It's something I've been working on for quite some time, and I've made significant efforts to improve and upskill again.\" Nortje expressed his excitement about potentially donning the test cap once more, stating that it's the format he aspired to play growing up. He emphasized that Test cricket fuels his motivation during training sessions. \"Growing up, it's the format you want to play. It's the motivation when you train,\" he added. Nortje has participated in 19 Tests with a bowling average of 26.71 and frequently bowled at speeds exceeding 145kph, but the physical toll of Test cricket took a significant toll on his body. \"You don't think of the tough times in T20 cricket. You just think about executing skills there, whereas in Tests, you think about the tough times, the good times, the hard work, and that gets you through some sessions,\" Nortje remarked. \"There's just that little bit of extra X-factor that comes out, or fire that comes out, and energy that comes out.\" Nortje added, \"Guys want to do well, and everyone wants to perform. It is a big series.\" South Africa began an intra-squad match on Sunday and will trim their preliminary squad from 18 to 15 players late Monday, with Nortje likely to secure his spot despite his extended absence. \"The guys have grown quite a bit,\" he said of the Test team that has since clinched the World Test Championship, defeating Australia in mid-2025. \"They've played a lot and they've done really well. Hopefully, I can just add on to that. I'm very keen to get going and be on the park and try to do well for the country,\" Nortje concluded.",
  "summary": "DURBAN: South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje could make a remarkable return to first-class cricket after an absence of almost four years to help an injury-hampered South Africa attack in the first test against Australia, which starts in Durban on Friday. With fitness doubts over pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada and three other bowlers ruled out with hamstring injuries, Nortje is set to return to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Sandpapergate at Cape Town, South Africa: Revisiting the ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket eight years on",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/sandpapergate-at-cape-town-south-africa-revisiting-the-ball-tampering",
        "published": "2026-10-05T11:13:20.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}