CAPE TOWN – The nightmare trip to England has finally come to an end for JP Duminy.
The Proteas left-hander was dropped for the second Test against England at Trent Bridge in Nottingham after battling at the crease in the first at Lord’s.
The 33-year-old scored just 15 and two at the home of cricket, and subsequently made way for returning captain Faf du Plessis, who missed the 211-run defeat.
Theunis de Bruyn was also left out in Nottingham as the Proteas brainstrust opted for an extra seamer in Chris Morris.
And now Cricket South Africa have announced in a statement on Monday evening that Duminy “has been released and will return home to South Africa”.
It is a pretty dramatic move, as apart from De Bruyn, the only other specialist batsman outside the playing XI is uncapped youngster Aiden Markram.
But the decision to take Duminy out of the squad entirely is a clear indication that his Test career is over.
The Cape Cobras stalwart chose to miss the IPL this year in order to prepare for the England tour, but he never really got an opportunity to make a big score in the shortened formats.
In the Champions Trophy, he reached 38 not out, eight and in the fateful India defeat, he was left stranded on 20 not out while batting as low as No 6 in all three games.
So Duminy wouldn’t have gone into the first Test against England at Lord’s with much confidence, and it showed as he was trapped lbw by Stuart Broad for 15 in the first innings, and then pulled Mark Wood straight to Moeen Ali at midwicket for two in the second.
Duminy has scored only 121 runs in his last eight innings since his sixth Test century against Sri Lanka in January. An overall Test record of 2 103 runs in 46 matches, at an average of 32.85, is a disappointing return for someone as undeniably talented as the Plumstead High product.
The Proteas utilised Quinton de Kock in Duminy’s place at No 4 at Trent Bridge, and the wicket-keeper is likely to continue in that role for the third Test at The Oval, which starts on Thursday.
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