Fourth Test: Game new skipper Tim Paine carries on after scary blow to the hand

AUSTRALIA held its collective breath as the ghosts of the past appeared to come back and haunt brave captain Tim Paine after he copped a whack on his problematic right hand.

Australian captain Tim Paine grimaces after being hit on his right thumb. Picture: AP

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AUSTRALIAN skipper Tim Paine returned to the crease today as his side attempted to dig in on day three of the final Test.

Paine’s right thumb injury was revealed to be a hairline fracture, with Cricket Australia confirming that he will play out the match.

Australia started the day 6-110, trailing the Proteas by 378 and Paine survived an early LBW decision, successfully appealing after he got a faint inside edge.

CAPTION:

Australian captain Tim Paine grimaces after being hit on his right thumb. Picture: AP

Paine’s relatively positive diagnosis is a relief, after Australia held its collective breath on day two as the ghosts of the past appeared to come back and haunt him.

He copped a whack on his problematic right hand after a 122 kilometre delivery from Chadd Sayers, with team physio David Beakley attending to Paine who was in distress.

As evidenced by his reflex action, when he flicked his right glove in pain, a hairline fracture is a painful albeit minor injury. It is slightly more concerning considering his injury-ravaged past that almost forced him to quit.

Paine receives treatment before returning to his post behind the stumps. Picture: AP

Paine, 33, has required seven operations and three bone grafts since his bad finger break in the 2010 T20 exhibition game and even had to change his grip, unable to hold the bat the way he once did.

The aggressive and courageous Paine ignored his previous travails to stand right by the stumps to Sayers - as he has done to fellow medium pacer Mitch Marsh this series - whose brilliant delivery evaded Quinton de Kock’s outside edge and caught him on the right glove.

Paine’s leadership has been immense, instigating the unprecedented handshake between both teams at the start of the Test as the players ditched their “headbutting the line” mantra before an impressive media performance after day one oozing humility.

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Originally published as Fourth Test: Game new skipper Tim Paine carries on after scary blow to the hand