Test hopeful Lance Morris is again under an injury cloud after hurting his hand at a social event following Western Australia’s one-day clash against England on Saturday.
It is understood Morris was at a party when he cut his non-bowling left hand.
Morris is set to consult a hand specialist today to determine the extent of the injury, and a timeline on his return to playing.
It comes just over a year after Morris had spinal fracture surgery he hoped would save his cricket career, after struggling to string games together in recent years.
Morris (centre) picked up three wickets in Western Australia’s tour match against England at the weekend. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)
There were encouraging signs in Saturday’s outing as Morris finished with figures of 3–29 off 10 overs, claiming the wickets of England superstar Joe Root, as well as Tom Banton and Gus Atkinson.
Morris was called into Australia’s Test squad in late 2022 after an impressive start to the Sheffield Shield season, with some considering it a matter of time until he made his Test debut.
However, since then he has managed just three one-day internationals, six Shield matches and 22 Big Bash games, due to a wretched injury run.
Ahead of last season Morris underwent stabilisation surgery, a process that involves bolts and wire being put into his lower back.
Just last week he told ABC Sport’s Tom Wildie he hoped to bowl faster than ever after the procedure, hopeful it would not affect his pace and strength.
“That [a loss of pace] was a huge question for me leading into the surgery because I knew that was the asset that made me potentially selectable for red-ball cricket,” he said last week.
“I had to look around at other guys that have had the surgery, the likes of Jofra [Archer], Jasprit Bumrah, the guys that have returned to Test cricket at the same speed if not better.
“I’ve got one eye on the speed gun at all times to see where things are at, but I’m pretty happy with where it’s at.”
With regular fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Captain Pat Cummins all well into their 30s, Australia is expected to soon be looking for other pace bowling options in the Test arena, with Morris long considered a likely contender for a spot in the eleven.
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