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Alviro Petersen suffered a hamstring problem during his mammoth innings of 182 © Getty Images
Alviro Petersen may play no further part in the Headingley Test after sustaining an injury to his right hamstring. He was taken for scans late in the afternoon of the second day's play but the full diagnosis will only be available on Saturday morning.
If he has suffered a grade one tear, as has been suggested, he will require ten days to recover.
South Africa assistant coach Russell Domingo said the "unconfirmed" prognosis was that the injury was "not too serious". He added that "the word that has been thrown around" was that Petersen's hamstring was slightly torn. Petersen scored 182 runs and spent eight hours and 53 minutes at the crease but did not field.
It is understood that the damage was done while Petersen was playing a cut shot in the eighth over of the morning. Petersen reached for a short and wide ball from James Anderson to usher it over the slips and in so doing, hurt his hamstring. He did not receive treatment immediately and only called for the physiotherapist after passing his previous highest Test score of 156.
A series of stretches and some pills allowed Petersen to continue to lunch. He lasted five overs after lunch before nicking off on 182. In total, Petersen batted for 24.4 overs after the injury was sustained.
Although he did not limp noticeably at any stage during his innings, he did appear uncomfortable in parts. Faf du Plessis, who was drafted into the squad on Tuesday after Albie Morkel was ruled out, took his place in the field during the start of England's innings.
Petersen also suffered an injury at the beginning of the tour, when he hurt the joints in his left foot while out on a jog. He missed the first tour match against Somerset in Taunton as a precaution but returned to bat against Kent three days later.
He is the fourth South Africa player to be injured in England. Mark Boucher's lacerated eyeball in Taunton ended the veteran wicketkeeper's career, Marchant de Lange's lower back spasms ruled him out for six weeks and his replacement Albie Morkel is currently carrying an ankle injury, which made him unavailable for consideration in this match.