Melbourne: Australia paceman Mitchell Starc is in doubt for the return Ashes series against England after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back.
The 23-year-old left-armer flew home from England after Australia lost the Ashes 3-0 and scans had shown an "early stage" fracture, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Monday.
"His management plan will be determined in the coming days but he is expected to be unavailable for a prolonged period," CA chief medical officer Justin Paoloni said in a statement.
Australia`s emerging crop of fast bowlers have all suffered lower back problems, with James Pattinson forced to leave the Ashes tour after two Tests and 20-year-old talent Pat Cummins already ruled out for the return five-match series.
Three-Test seamer Jackson Bird, who also returned home with a back injury, was expected to be fit for the Ashes, CA said.
Paceman Ryan Harris, Australia`s top wicket-taker in the recent Ashes series, will be sidelined for two months with a hamstring problem but should be ready for the first Test against England starting November 21 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Reuters
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.