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Back blow for paceman Siddle
Cricket, 12:19, February 3, 2010 ,
Australia have been hit by the news Peter Siddle will miss the upcoming tour of New Zealand due to a stress fracture of the back.
The paceman missed the final match of the Aussies recent 5-0 one-day internationals victory against Pakistan, while he was also omitted from the squad for the Twenty20 international against Pakistan on Friday with a sore back.
However, scans have now shown that the injury is worse than first feared and Siddle is also a doubt for the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean in April and May, as well as two further Tests against Pakistan which follow this month's West Indies one-day series and the New Zealand series.
Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: "Peter experienced back pain during the Commonwealth Bank Series. The source of the pain was investigated after the fifth ODI and unfortunately scans revealed that he has a lower back stress fracture.
"The nature of this injury means that Peter will require a long rehabilitation period and as such he'll be unavailable for the remainder of the domestic summer and the tour of New Zealand."
Meanwhile Shane Watson and Doug Bollinger have been called into the squad for the opening two matches of the one-day series against West Indies, beginning in Melbourne on Sunday.