A photographer working for news agency AFP got injured in front of the sightscreen and caused a delay to the start of South Africa's first Test against England here on Thursday.

Christiaan Kotze was on assignment for Agence France-Presse (AFP) when he tripped on the boundary line fence and lost his footing on a slippery pitch cover.

He was writhing in pain and was diagnosed with badly-sprained right knee ligaments and needed medical treatment on the spot before he was carried away on a stretcher, a report on AFP said.

Kotze's wife Catherine helped him with his ground level camera. After treatment, he went to the press box.

"I hope I didn't cause Dean Elgar to lose concentration," he was quoted as saying.

"But when I was limping past some English guys they thanked me for the wicket."

The start of the match was delayed by a few minutes and South Africa opener Dean Elgar was out first ball to James Anderson, playing down the leg side to be caught behind.IANS