Injured Trent Boult ruled out of Australia series; Hand fracture rules South Africa's Markram out of England Tests
Boult will fly to New Zealand after the second Test.
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The two-Test series underway to the South of the Equator witnessed two prominent players getting ruled out because of fractures in hands. While South Africa opening batsman Aiden Markram was out of the remaining part of the four-match series against England after having his fourth left finger fractured in the first match in Centurion, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult sustained a fracture on his right hand after getting hit while batting in the second Test in Melbourne.
Cricket South Africa confirmed in a statement the injury and said Markram will need a surgery and hence will be out of the game for at least six weeks. Markram could manage only 20 and 2 in the first Test of the series which is still hanging in a balance with the home team leading by more than 300 runs in the second innings.
“Aiden sustained a fracture affecting the distal joint of his left ring finger,” said CSA Chief Medical Officer Shuaib Manjra according to the statement. Manjra said a number of hand specialists were consulted and it has been decided that the best result would come through surgical reduction and fixation.
He added that it was unfortunate for the talented batsman as he worked hard to overcome his previous hand fracture which he sustained during the recent tour of India.
Trent Boult was hit by Mitchell Starc while batting
Trent Boult, on the other hand, was hit on the gloves by left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc while batting in the first innings in Melbourne. He went to the hospital for X-rays during the tea break and it was confirmed that he had a fracture. He scored eight runs off 13 balls before getting bowled by Starc. Boult although bowled towards the end of Day 3 as the hosts added to their huge first-innings lead, he is set to fly home before the final Test in Sydney starting January 3 and will be out for at least four weeks.
“Trent Boult suffered a fracture to the second metacarpal of his right hand after being struck while batting on day three of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne,” a New Zealand Cricket spokesperson said. “An X-ray during the tea break confirmed the undisplaced fracture which will require around four weeks of rehabilitation, meaning Boult will return home to New Zealand at the end of the Test. A replacement player will be confirmed in due course.”
Boult missed the first Test in Perth because of a side injury but recovered in time for the Boxing Day Test. His injury will add to the Kiwis’ concern since they are already a pacer short because of the injury to Lockie Ferguson.
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