Philander declared match fit for Lord's Test

South African pacer Vernon Philander, who recently suffered an ankle injury, has been declared fit for the first Test of the four-match series against England, beginning Thursday at Lord's.

Doubts over Philander's participation in the first Test surfaced after he was forced to miss last week's warm-up game against the England Lions due to the injury he sustained while on county duty with Sussex, reports Sport24.

After Philander's inclusion, the Proteas would now have a full-strength pace attack, comprising of Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel.

Earlier this year, the 32-year-old had sustained a grade 1 hamstring injury because of which he withdrew from Sussex's Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.

He played his last Test for the Proteas in March this year against New Zealand.

Meanwhile, it is yet to be seen whether captain Faf du Plessis will take part in the Lord's Test, though it looks highly unlikely that he will play.

If du Plessis misses the opening Test of the four-match series against England beginning July 6 at the Lord's, it will snap South Africa's 119-match streak to field him or AB de Villiers in their Playing XI.

Du Plessis is awaiting the arrival of his first child, who is expected in the first week of July, and with his wife Imari choosing a natural birth, there is no speeding up the due date.

-ANI