New Zealand’s cricket team is dealing with multiple injuries ahead of their summer matches at home. Will O’Rourke is out for at least three months, Mitch Santner needs surgery, and both Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen will be out for a while.
Will O Rourke suffers stress fracture
O’Rourke has a stress fracture in his back from the Zimbabwe series earlier this month. He’ll miss the T20s against Australia next month and the series against England and West Indies in October and November.
Santner is getting abdominal surgery. It’s not clear if he’ll be fit for the three T20s against Australia in Tauranga. Phillips will definitely miss that series as he recovers from a groin injury. Allen is also out for three months after foot surgery.
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We feel for Will and hope he recovers quickly, said New Zealand coach Rob Walter in a statement. He started so well, so this is disappointing. But he’s tough and will work hard to come back strong.
He added, It’s a shame to lose Glenn and Finn, who have been our top T20 batsmen recently.
Mitchell Santner to get Chances in Australia
Walter said he’d give Santner every chance to prove he’s fit to play Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee series in early October. Santner got hurt while playing in The Hundred in England.
Mitch is a top player and a key part of our T20 team because of his skills and leadership, Walter said. We’ll include him in our squad when we announce it in a couple of weeks and then we can see how he recovers from surgery before we decide if he can play in the series.
New Zealand will also play a three-test series at home against West Indies in late November and early December.
Like in Zimbabwe, their absence gives others a chance to step up in what should be a big and important series against Australia.”
On the bright side, Wellington Firebirds bowler Ben Sears has recovered from a side strain that kept him out of the Zimbabwe tour and should be available for the start of the summer season.
New Zealand’s matches:
Against Australia
Oct 1 – 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui
Oct 3 – 2nd T20I, Mount Maunganui
Oct 4 – 3rd T20I, Mount Maunganui
Against England
Oct 18 – 1st T20I, Christchurch
Oct 20 – 2nd T20I, ChristchurchOct 23 – 3rd T20I, Auckland
Oct 26 – 1st ODI, Mount Maunganui
Oct 29 – 2nd ODI, Hamilton
Nov 1 – 3rd ODI, Wellington
Against West Indies
Nov 5 – 1st T20I, Auckland
Nov 6 – 2nd T20I, Auckland
Nov 9 – 3rd T20I, Nelson
Nov 10 – 4th T20I, Nelson
Nov 13 – 5th T20I, Dunedin
Nov 16 – 1st ODI, Christchurch
Nov 19 – 2nd ODI, Napier
Nov 22 – 3rd ODI, Hamilton
Dec 2-6 – 1st Test, Christchurch
Dec 10-14 – 2nd Test, Wellington
Dec 18-22 – 3rd Test, Mount Maunganui
Against South Africa
Mar 15 – 1st T20I, Mount Maunganui
Mar 17 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton
Mar 20 – 3rd T20I, Auckland
Mar 22 – 4th T20I, Wellington
Mar 25 – 5th T20I, Christchurch
