New Zealand’s aggressive fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out for the remainder of the Test series against Australia due to a calf injury.
The pacer, who sustained the injury during his debut in the day-night game at Perth last week, will fly back home for rehabilitation. Ferguson bowled 11 overs in his Test debut and failed to pick up a single wicket, conceding 47 runs.
New Zealand is expected to name a replacement for the 28-year-old in the next 24 hours.
Lockie Ferguson is returning home from Australia after sustaining a grade two right calf-muscle tendon strain while bowling in the 1st Test in Perth.
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) December 16, 2019
The injury is expected to need four to six weeks rehabilitation.
A replacement player will be named in the next 24 hours.#AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/xMH2hjMdQA
It isn’t all doom and gloom for the Kiwis as their pace spearhead, Trent Boult will seemingly recover from his side strain on time for the Boxing day Test in Melbourne.
Ferguson was Boult’s replacement in the first Test of the tour at Perth which the visitors lost by 296 runs. Head coach Gary Stead confirmed that the left-arm pacer is likely to be part of the bowling unit in Melbourne.
“Trent’s going really well, he was probably three or four days short of being ready for the first test match,” Stead said. “That was a risk that we weren’t prepared to take given the length of the season and what was left to come.”
New Zealand have won only one test in Australia since their only series triumph coming against their neighbours way back in 1985-86.
