JOHANNESBURG:- The Proteas have suffered another injury blow ahead of their Test series against Pakistan with all-rounder, Vernon Philander ruled out of the Boxing Day Test with a hand injury. South Africa square off against the Pakistanis in three Test matches, and will already be without fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, who has been ruled out for three months with a knee injury. Philander is the latest in the casualty list, having sustained a hairline fracture on his right thumb, and is set to miss the first match of the series. This leaves just three fit specialist seamers in the Proteas squad in Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier.–Agencies