There are concerns in the England camp, admitted skipper Joe Root, as the team's three front-line bowlers -  Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Jack Leach - are battling illness and are yet to bowl in a proper game scenario on the tour, just a couple of days prior to the start of the four-match series in South Africa via the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. 

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Root affirmed managing these bowlers, ensuring they are properly rested is a major priority. "It’s going to have to be managed really well but we’re on it, trying to make sure we give them the best chance possible," PTI quoted him as saying, as the sick trio skipped the tour games but did travel to Benoni this weekend and bowled a bit in the nets. 

"Those guys have been very frustrated," the skipper added. "They’ve trained as well as they can and over the next few days, I’m sure they’ll give a very good account of themselves and make sure they do everything they can to be ready. That’s all you can ask."

"It’s very rare for guys to go into a game carrying an illness. A big part of it is you don’t want to let the rest of the guys down. It’ll be a fine balance."

While those guys are sick, pacer James Anderson has recovered well from his injury, bowling in fantastic rhythm in the two warm-up games of the tour so far. The 37-year-old suffered a career-threatening calf injury bowling in the first Test of the Ashes in UK earlier this year. 

"He hit his straps really well," Root said. "Jimmy is in great shape, probably as strong as I’ve seen him."

(Inputs from PTI)