Proteas batsman Herschelle Gibbs will check himself into a rehabilitation clinic for a month for alcohol abuse.

Gibbs, who has suffered a tumultuous year in 2008 and was dismissed from the Proteas squad for breaking a team curfew in November, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on a drunk driving charge on Wednesday.

He was not asked to plead as his advocate, Craig Webster, asked the state to supply further particulars of the case, most notably the workings of the breathalyser apparatus used to conduct the test. Those details would be supplied to him by January 12.

The case against Gibbs has been postponed until March 28.

Gibbs’ agent Donne Commins, meanwhile, confirmed he would start his rehabilitation programme on Monday.

“He is going to take some time out until next year,” she said.

The move means Gibbs will be unavailable for Proteas selection until the second week in January.

The veteran opener was never going to play a role in the team’s three Test series against Australia, however, and will have completed the programme by the time the ODI series starts on January 16.

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