Taunton: South Africa coach Russell Domingo has made an emergency return home after his mother was seriously injured in a car accident.
Domingo returned to Port Elizabeth on Thursday and will miss the remainder of South Africa’s Twenty20 series with England, which continues at Taunton on Friday and concludes in Cardiff on Sunday.
South Africa face the England Lions in a warm-up match starting Thursday ahead of their Test series with England but it remains to be seen if Domingo will be able to return in time for that fixture.
Domingo succeeded Gary Kirsten as South Africa coach in May 2013 and his time in charge has coincided with the retirements if such leading players as long-serving captain Graeme Smith and star all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
Meanwhile he has also been deprived of the services of outstanding fast bowler Dale Steyn due to injury in recent years.
According to South African media reports, Domingo’s contract is up at the end of the England tour and the 42-year-old will have to re-apply for the role if he wished to remain in post.
The Proteas have had a largely miserable start to their time in England, losing a one-day international series against their hosts before suffering a first-round exit in the ensuing eight-nation Champions Trophy ODI tournament when tipped to do well after defeats by eventual shock winners Pakistan and losing finalists India.
AB de Villiers’s men then suffered a nine-wicket thrashing by England in the first T20 at Southampton on Wednesday.
The centrepiece of their tour is a four-Test series against England.
Star batsman de Villiers, a mainstay in all three formats, has already said he will miss the Test series as he takes some time off from a heavy workload.
The Proteas could also be without another senior batsman in Test captain Faf du Plessis for the series opener at Lord’s on July 6 while he awaits the birth of his first child.
