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Australian cricket’s management of its fast bowlers and their workload is again in question after Peter Siddle was revealed to have a serious back injury.
Siddle will miss the rest of the domestic summer and the upcoming tour of New Zealand after he was found to have stress fractures in his back.
He complained of back pain ahead of the third one-day international against Pakistan in Adelaide last week and was left out.
Selectors sent Shane Watson and Doug Bollinger home to rest at the conclusion of that match but Siddle was judged fit to fly to Perth where he was cleared to play in the next match of the series.
But his back flared again, with the problem eventually diagnosed on Wednesday.
“The source of the pain was investigated after the fifth one-day international and unfortunately scans revealed that he has a lower back stress fracture,” Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a statement.
“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.”
The saga is reminiscent of that which led to Ben Hilfenhaus’ absence for most of the summer due to knee tendonitis after he was taken to India for a seven-match limited overs series despite complaining of pain in the joint at the end of the Ashes Tests in England.
Hilfenhaus bowled well in the first home Test at the Gabba, but his knee degenerated to the point where he did not play again in the five-day game and remains in serious doubt for New Zealand.
Siddle has had several injury niggles over the summer.
Australian spinner Cameron White said he didn’t know if workload was a factor in Siddle’s injury, but felt fast bowlers were usually able to recover completely from similar injuries.
“I feel sorry for Pete … it’s very disappointing and it’s a big loss,” White said.
“I don’t know whether that’s it or there are other reasons behind it.
“Lots of fast bowlers seem to get them (stress fractures) at certain stages through their career. There’s not many who don’t to be honest.
“I don’t think it’s a career-threatening injury. I think Brett Lee’s had stress fractures numerous times.
“Other bowlers have come back from them very strongly and Pete’s one of those guys who does everything right.”
Batsman Adam Voges has been dropped as Watson and Bollinger return to the Australian one-day squad for the first two one-day internationals against the West Indies next week.
Voges and Siddle are out of the 13-man squad, making way for the return of all-rounder Watson and paceman Bollinger, who were rested from the final two matches of the series whitewash of Pakistan.
The first two matches of the five-match series against the Windies will be played at the MCG on Sunday and Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
Australian squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (v-capt), Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, James Hopes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Shane Watson, Cameron White.
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