New Zealand's Ferguson ruled out of rest of Australia tour
New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson ruled out of rest of Australia tour.
PERTH (Reuters) - New Zealand paceman Lockie Ferguson will play no further part in the three-match series against Australia because of the calf injury he sustained during the 296-run loss in the first test at Perth Stadium, coach Gary Stead said on Monday.
The 28-year-old suffered the injury on the first day of his debut test and will need four to six weeks to recover, Stead told reporters in Perth, ruling the fast bowler out of the second and third matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
There was better news about quick Trent Boult, who usually leads the New Zealand attack but made way for Ferguson in Perth as he recuperated from a side strain.
“Trent’s going really well, he was probably three or four days short of being ready for the first test match,” Stead said.
“That was a risk that we weren’t prepared to take given the length of the season and what was left to come.”
A replacement for Ferguson in the squad would be named on Tuesday, Stead said. The second test begins at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Dec. 26.
