Ankle injury sidelines Chris Morris for six months

Chris Morris, the South Africa fast bowler, has been sidelined for six months due to an injured ankle, which will need remedial surgery. This means Morris will miss out on the World Twenty20 next month, the IPL - where he shot to fame with a $600,000 payday last year - and the rest of the South African domestic season.

Morris had broken into South Africa's limited-overs sides in the past year or so, but has lost his place since the tour of Sri Lanka last July. He had a middling domestic season, taking nine wickets in 10 Twenty20 matches while conceding 8.32 runs an over.

The immediate impact of his injury is that he has pulled out of the IPL auction which is set to be held in Bangalore on Wednesday and Thursday. Morris was a consistent performer with Chennai Super Kings last season, earning 16 caps through the season, taking 15 wickets as he helped Super Kings reached the final.