Melbourne: Australian fast bowler Michael Neser has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia A’s match against India A after suffering a hamstring injury. Neser had an impressive start, claiming four wickets on the opening day of the second unofficial Test, with figures of 4-27. However, his momentum was halted when he experienced discomfort after delivering his second ball of the 13th over, prompting him to limp off the field.
A spokesperson from Cricket Australia confirmed that Neser injured his left hamstring and will not bowl again in the match. He is set to undergo scans to assess the injury’s severity.
This is not the first time Neser has faced issues with his hamstring. After a recent Sheffield Shield match on October 23, where he bowled nearly 49 overs for Queensland against South Australia, he reported soreness in the same hamstring. This soreness led him to skip a domestic One-Day Cup game just two days later. After resting, Neser resumed training and appeared fit ahead of this current match. However, fast bowlers have reported challenges with the MCG outfield, which was top-dressed with sand after the Australian Football League season, adding to their physical strain.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc also experienced cramps during recent games at the MCG and noted the outfield felt unusually heavy and difficult to run on. Another teammate, Sean Abbott, shared similar observations, mentioning how the field affected his legs during a recent Shield game.
Neser’s season has seen him managing multiple setbacks. He initially recovered from a calf injury sustained while playing in England and had limited bowling sessions until the start of the Sheffield Shield season in Perth. Though Neser was not expected to join Australia’s Test squad for the first match against India in Perth, he could have been a potential call-up later in the series, especially with the tight schedule between the second and third Tests in Adelaide and Brisbane.
Should Australia need an additional fast-bowling option in the series, Abbott and Nathan McAndrew are potential backups beyond Scott Boland, who is likely the primary choice to fill in if necessary.
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