Injured Kyle Jamieson uncertain for Australia test series

Wednesday, 14 February 2024

Kyle Jamieson’s availability for the Black Caps’ highly anticipated test series against Australia is uncertain.

The towering seamer wasn’t considered for the second test against South Africa in Hamilton due to back soreness after taking 6-93 in the first match in Tauranga last week.

Jamieson’s unavailability for the second test is concerning given he underwent back surgery last February and has battled to stay on the field in recent years.

He has played just three tests since the start of 2023, combined with five ODIs and five T20Is.

With the first match in the two-test series starting in two weeks’ time at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on February 29, Jamieson faces a race against time to prove his fitness.

Black Caps selector Sam Wells said on Wednesday they were awaiting the results of medical scans on Jamieson’s troublesome back.

“We’re waiting to hear back on some more testing and we’ll see what comes back from that and there’ll be some further communication on that after the [medical] test,” Wells said.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what comes back and what the doctors say and how the scans come back.”

The Black Caps would dearly love to have a healthy Jamieson running in bowling to Australia’s talented batting order with his height and steep bounce.

He has thrived in tests at the two venues for the Australian series — the Basin Reserve and Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

In two matches at the Basin, he has captured 11 wickets at 14.63, while at his Hagley home he has excelled, taking 28 scalps at 17.57 from five matches. His Hagley exploits include career-best match figures of 11-117 against Pakistan in January 2021.

Should Jamieson miss the Australia series, Canterbury’s Will O’Rourke, who shone with 4-59 in South Africa’s first innings in Hamilton on test debut, would likely be his replacement.

It would not be a surprise to see New Zealand go with a four-pronged pace attack of captain Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Neil Wagner, and Jamieson-O’Rourke for the Australia tests.

There was better news around Daryl Mitchell’s foot issue, which has kept him out of the second test against South Africa, and Australian T20I series, which starts next Wednesday in Wellington.

Mitchell was expected to be fine for the Australian tests, which will be a major relief for head coach Gary Stead and his side.

Since the beginning of 2023, Mitchell has scored 514 test runs from eight matches at 42.83 and been an automatic selection in all three forms internationally.

Batting supremo Kane Williamson, who will miss the Australian T20 series for the imminent birth of his third child, should be stepping out onto the Basin on February 29, Wells said.

“Daryl is on track to be ready for the Australian tests with his foot and Kane is awaiting the arrival of baby Williamson, so we’re in the lap of the Gods I suppose when baby might arrive. I’m told baby is expected to arrive before the first test.”

Veteran left-arm pace bowler Trent Boult is set to play his first T20 for New Zealand since the semifinal of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan in Sydney in November 2022.

Boult is not on a NZC central contract, allowing him to play in T20 franchise leagues around the world.

He will be available for the second and third T20 matches in Auckland as Southee has his workload managed between the tests versus South Africa and Australia.

Wells confirmed Boult, who has not played a test since June 2022, would not be considered for a red ball cameo against Australia.

“It’s just unrealistic. Trent hasn’t played a long-form game in over 18 months, so he’s just not in a position to be available for selection without having played some long-form cricket.”

AT A GLANCE:

New Zealand T20 squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Trent Boult (games 2 & 3), Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee (game 1).

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

T20 series: February 21 at Sky Stadium, Wellington; February 23 and 25 at Eden Park, Auckland.

Test series: First test: February 29-March 4 at Basin Reserve, Wellington; Second test: March 8-12 at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.