James Faulkner joins Jackson Bird as doubt for South Africa tour Key man: Allrounder James Faulkner starred in the ODI series against England and was considered a chance of breaking into the Test side against South Africa. All-rounder James Faulkner is in danger of missing next month's Test tour of South Africa with a knee injury. A spanner was thrown into Australia's preparations for the three-match campaign against the world No.1 Proteas on Monday when Faulkner was sent for scans only hours after being named man of the match in the thrilling win over England in the one-day series finale in Adelaide. Faulkner was due to consult a specialist on Monday night, and a decision by Australian management and medicos on whether he is cleared to tour South Africa or is a late scratching is expected on Tuesday. After a summer in which the Ashes were reclaimed without interruption by injury, Australia are packing their bags for South Africa not only with serious concerns about Faulkner but with two other members of the squad also wrestling with fitness issues. Unexpected selection Shaun Marsh left Adelaide Oval on Sunday with a calf strain and had scans on Monday, and back-up fast bowler Jackson Bird is nursing a jarred back. Most of Australia's 15-man Test squad are due to fly out for Johannesburg on Wednesday, and only those involved in the three-match Twenty20 series against England will stay behind. Faulkner, 23, was meant to link up with the T20 team in Hobart for the first match at Bellerive Oval on Wednesday but the knee injury could not only rule him out of 20-over games but spoil his bid for a Test recall in South Africa. The first Test starts on February 12. The Tasmanian was 12th man this summer as Australia went unchanged in a 5-0 demolition of England in the Ashes. His lone Test remains his appearance in the fifth leg of the series against England at The Oval in August, but his brilliant one-day form has offered a reminder of how destructive he can be. Bird, who missed the first half of his season with a stress fracture of the back suffered in England last year, was pulled out of a Futures League game in Brisbane this week. He was supposed to feature for Western Australia's second XI against Queensland seconds because Tasmania have no fixture in this round, and was replaced by James Pattinson, as his state side Victoria are also without a match this week. Pattinson has not played a first-class match since the second Test against England at Lord's last July, and used the hit-out with the red ball to good effect, taking 2-33 in 18 overs, including the wicket of opener Luke Pomersbach for nought. The Queensland team includes Pattinson's Victoria and Australia teammate Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris, who took a wicket with his first ball late on Monday. Fellow Test squad members Nathan Lyon and Chris Rogers are playing in the second-XI match between NSW and South Australia at Blacktown. Rogers, making a cameo for the Redbacks, was five not out overnight after Trent Copeland scored 107 for the Blues. ■Graeme Swann has defended England skipper Alastair Cook's Ashes performance, saying the captaincy an impossible task. Swann, who retired after three Tests of the 5-0 whitewash, was just one of several players who failed to fire. Cook shouldered much of the blame, and his captaincy was criticised by many, including Shane Warne. However, Swann says he was hamstrung by those around him. "He had to change things and try to be a bit funky as the series went on because we were terrible," Swann told BBC Radio.