England fast bowler Steven Finn could be a doubtful starter for the first Test against India after a thigh strain ruled him out for the rest of the ongoing tour opener yesterday.
Finn, 23, who was regarded as a certainty for the first Test in Ahmedabad from Nov. 15, pulled up with a thigh strain on the opening day of the three-day game against India “A” in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The beanpole Middlesex paceman bowled four overs before being injured while chasing a ball in the outfield and was confined to the dressing room for the rest of the day.
Scans later on Tuesday did not reveal any major damage, but Finn was asked to sit out for the rest of the match to undertake a recovery program worked out by team doctors.
“Steven Finn has been ruled out of the remainder of the three-day game with a right thigh strain,” team spokeswoman Rhian Evans said.
“He will be assessed over the next couple of days to determine a rehabilitation program,” he added.
England are not calling in a replacement, but Finn may be required to play at least one of the two remaining warm-up matches to be considered for the Ahmedabad Test.
The tourists take on Mumbai “A” in a three-day game from Saturday and play state side Haryana in a four-day match in Ahmedabad from Thursday next week.
Finn has played 16 Tests since his debut against Bangladesh in 2010, claiming 66 wickets at an average of 28.15.
He has taken five wickets in an innings three times.
TWENTY20 WASHED OUT
AFP, PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka
The one-off Twenty20 international between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was abandoned because of rain in Pallekele on Tuesday.
The hosts, chasing a rain-revised target of 72 runs off 14 overs, were six for no loss after two overs when play was called off.
Dilshan Munaweera was unbeaten on four and Tillakaratne Dilshan was on two not out.
New Zealand earlier struggled to reach 74-7 after being put in to bat, with Tim Southee top-scoring with an unbeaten 21, including four boundaries in an over off seamer Shaminda Eranga.
Andrew Ellis (16) and Jacob Oram (10 not out) were the other batsmen to reach double-figures.
Seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera each grabbed two early wickets in helpful conditions after a delayed start because of rain, reducing the tourists to 24-5 in the opening nine overs. Eranga was the other wicket-taker.
The Sri Lankan pacemen were backed by 19-year-old off-spinner Akila Dananjaya, who finished with 2-9 off two overs.
New Zealand made a poor start as they lost opener Tom Latham and hard-hitting Brendon McCullum in Kulasekara’s first two overs.
Eranga put more pressure on New Zealand when he trapped opener Rob Nicol leg-before with his third delivery, before Perera had James Franklin caught behind.
Perera struck again in his next over, having skipper Ross Taylor caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.
The teams are now scheduled to play five one-day internationals, starting in Pallekele today.
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