New Zealand’s tour of Zimbabwe has been further hampered by injury issues with pacer Will O’Rourke being ruled out of the second Test against Zimbabwe due to a back strain, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Wednesday.
O’Rourke, was instrumental in the nine-wicket victory of New Zealand in the first Test as he took 3 wickets for 28 runs in the second innings. But after that he started feeling stiffness in his back on day three. He has now gone back home for thorough medical examination and rehabilitation.
In his place, the left-arm seamer Ben Lister, who was already in the squad as cover, is likely to remain with the team for the second Test and may get a chance to make his Test debut when the last match of the series commences Thursday in Bulawayo.
The Black Caps injury list doesn’t end there, all-rounder Nathan Smith has also been excluded after sustaining an abdominal strain while batting during the first Test. This was confirmed by an MRI and means that he will now be out for two to four weeks.
At the same time, Test captain Tom Latham, who was ruled out of the first Test through a shoulder injury, is still in the squad and is expected to be ready for the second game. In his absence, white-ball skipper Mitch Santner is leading the team, becoming New Zealand’s 32nd men’s Test captain.
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Earlier, Glenn Phillips had also been pulled out of the tour because of a groin injury he had suffered during the Major League Cricket (MLC) final. He was replaced by Michael Bracewell, who was not originally picked because of conflicting commitments against The Hundred.
With several injuries to the team, New Zealand’s strength is being tested as it seeks to seal the series against Zimbabwe.
