Smith succumbs to shoulder injury

South Africa captain Graeme Smith has finally conceded defeat to an elbow injury that has troubled him during the first two games of the Natwest Series against England.

Smith has been struggling with tennis elbow and will almost certainly miss the remainder of the five-match one-day series against England, which the Proteas trail 2-0.

Hashim Amla is tipped to take Smith's place at the top of the South Africa order for Friday's third one-dayer at The Oval, while Jacques Kallis will likely take over the captaincy for the rest of the series.

A South Africa team spokesman confirmed the stand-in captain will be known by the time the team arrives for training on Thursday afternoon in England.

South Africa physiotherapist Shane Jabaar revealed there is uncertainty over when Smith will be able to return to action.

"A tennis elbow is a chronic problem and one can't say how long the rehabilitation will take," Jabaar told www.supersport.co.za.

"We want to avoid surgery but if rehabilitation does not work we'll have to think again."

Smith was on Thursday morning seeing a surgeon to decide whether he will need an operation to cure the problem.