Boje had a plate and several screws inserted in his fibula

Southampton: South Africa’s Nicky Boje will be out for at least four months after breaking a leg while fielding against England.

Boje, 30, had a two-and-a-half hour operation in Nottingham on Wednesday to repair a broken left fibula and ruptured ankle ligaments.

He sustained the injury while fielding during the Proteas’ four-wicket tri-series loss against England at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Boje, a left-arm spinner, was fielding as substitute for Martin van Jaarsveld, when he fell and had to be carried off the field by his teammates.

“He will be in plaster for two months,” South Africa spokesman Gerald de Kock said here Thursday before the team’s match against Zimbabwe. “It will be four months at least before he’s back.”

He added that Boje had one plate and several screws inserted in his fibula, the small bone at the side of the ankle. South Africa physiotherapist Shane Jabaar, who accompanied Boje to hospital, said of the injury: “It’s the worst I’ve seen.”

Boje lost his place in the team to Paul Adams for Saturday’s match against Zimbabwe at Cardiff. The South African was not included in the squad for the five Test series against England which starts at Edgbaston on July 24.

Break for SA duo

Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock will both be given a short leave of absence from South Africa’s tour of England, on compassionate grounds, it was announced here Thursday.

Allrounder Kallis’ father is gravely ill with cancer while former captain Pollock’s wife Tricia is pregnant and cannot travel to England.

After the tri-series final at Lord’s, Pollock and Kallis will be allowed to return home and are expected back by July 18.

That means they will miss South Africa’s first warm-up match, for their five Test series with England, against Somerset at Taunton commencing on July 15.

But they will be back in time for the second warm-up game, against India A at Arundel starting on July 19. The first Test begins at Edgbaston on July 24.