The fast bowler felt discomfort after the first Test against South Africa and scans showed a new injury
New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson faces up to a year on the sidelines after being diagnosed with another stress fracture of his back.
Jamieson felt soreness after the first Test against South Africa, where he took six wickets in the match, and was ruled out of the second in Hamilton, with subsequent scans revealing the injury.
The latest injury is in the same part of the back as the one which he had previous surgery on last year although is a new fracture. He won’t undergo an operation on this occasion.
“The last few days have been some of my most challenging but I am hugely grateful for the support I’ve received from my partner, family, team-mates, support staff and medical professionals,” Jamieson said in a statement. “I know injuries are part of life as a cricketer and at my age I am hopeful I still have many more playing days ahead of me.”
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Speaking at a press conference later, Jamieson said the challenge of the recovery was as much mental as physical.
“I’ve got a bit of a roadmap as to how to manage it,” he said. “I know some of the hurdles I’ll have to overcome, probably more mentally and emotionally, the physical side is the easy part. You just rest and build back up. It’s almost autopilot in a way.
“It’s more the mental hurdles, months on end, you are halfway through and a fair bit of time has gone and there’s still a fair chunk of time away. It’s tough because you don’t want to go through it again. You hope that each time is the last time but I’m also 6’8” and trying to bowl fast, so know it’s definitely part of the journey.”
Jamieson indicated that when he returns from this latest injury there may need to be an evaluation of how he prepares for red-ball cricket.
“There’s a couple of patterns over the last couple of years, which you have to have these setbacks to notice them as patterns around the way you build-up for red-ball cricket,” he said. “I’ve played professionally for 10 years and my back’s been pretty good. History suggests that when you get that process right there’s still a lot of cricket to be played. I get a huge amount of hope from that. There’s been no healing issues in the past, it’s not like I’m a slow healer or don’t heal, so I get hope from that.”
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said: “We’ve all seen how much work Kyle has put into returning to international cricket and for him to have a setback like this is tough news to get.”
“On the positive side we know how determined he is to keep playing cricket for New Zealand and we will be fully behind him on the rehabilitation road ahead. His resolve is undiminished.”
New Zealand’s squad for the first Test against Australia will be named on Monday. Will O’Rourke took nine wickets on his debut against South Africa having come into the attack alongside Neil Wagner.
