Doull To Miss Indian Celebration (2 May 1997)

2 May 1997

Doull To Miss Indian Celebration

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand's senior strike bowler Simon Doull has been forced out of this month's Independence Cup limited overs cricket tournament in India because of a stress fracture of the lower back.

Doull, 27, was ruled out of the quadrangular tournament yesterday when he received the results of a CAT scan in Auckland which revealed one, and possibly two, stress fractures.

Doull has been advised to rest for up to seven weeks. Doull, who was voted New Zealand's "Player of the Year" last month for a season in which he captured 31 wickets in seven tests, had complained of a sore back during the latter stages of the series at home against Sri Lanka five weeks ago.

He still felt discomfort when he assembled in Auckland with the national side yesterday after bowling at a recent international double-wicket tournament in Pakistan.

He is the second Kiwi medium-fast bowler to be sidelined because of a stress fracture this year. Canterbury's Geoff Allott missed the series against Sri Lanka and was ruled out of the trip to India for the same reason.

The national selectors, Ross Dykes (convener), Mike Shrimpton and Rick Pickard talked last night to consider calling in a replacement for Doull, but a final decision will not be made until today.

Losing Doull leaves only Heath Davis and Andrew Penn as strike bowlers although conditions are not expected to favour them on the barren wickets of the sub-continent.

No player will be match fit leaving the selectors to decide whether to take an experienced player, such as Danny Morrison, or give a young player, like Robert Kennedy, a chance. The most successful bowler during the domestic season was Alex Tait with 53 wickets.

New Zealand leaves for India on Sunday where it will play a series of one-day matches against the host, Pakistan and World Cup holder Sri Lanka. -- NZPA

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz)