Windies suffer blow with Dillon ruled out

MELBOURNE - The embattled West Indies have suffered another blow with promising fast bowler Mervyn Dillon ruled out for the rest of the summer.

Dillon will undergo ankle surgery in Melbourne on Tuesday, the same day the Windies begin their final Test against Australia at the SCG hoping to avoid a 5-0 whitewash.

Tour manager Ricky Skerritt said Dillon could no longer endure the pain in his left ankle, originally caused when he stepped on a bottle thrown onto the ground at the Gabba in the first Test of the summer.

Dillon has since managed the problem - diagnosed as posterior ankle impingement - taking 16 wickets at an average of 29.93, including 4-76 in the first innings of Australia's fourth Test win in Melbourne.

"Mervyn has done an amazing job to sustain his effort with the pain he has had," Skerritt said.

"He's had pain-killing injections directly into the ankle but he can't bear the pain any longer. It's continued to get worse."

Skerritt said Dillon's surgery was similar to operations carried out on Australian star Brett Lee and South African spearhead Allan Donald.

West Indies selectors hope the right-armer will be fit for the South African series in March but his absence gives dumped pacemen Marlon Black and leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo the chance to play in Sydney.

Dillon will be replaced for the upcoming one-day series against Australia and Zimbabwe by former Test paceman Cameron Cuffy, who played the last of his three Tests against Australia in Adelaide four years ago.

The 30-year-old will arrive in Australia on January 7.