Cricket: Black Caps star Lockie Ferguson flies home as Trent Boult returns to fold

The Black Caps have lost one key member of their pace attack, but are set to welcome back another for the Boxing Day test against Australia.

Lockie Ferguson's tour of Australia has been cut short after 11 overs, with the speedster flying home tomorrow after suffering a grade two muscle tendon strain to his right calf while bowling on debut in the first test in Perth.

Ferguson will be sidelined for between four to six weeks, with a return during the India series a likely target. A replacement for Ferguson will be named tomorrow to fly to Australia, with the selectors set to plump for a fast bowler - most likely one who has been recently part of the New Zealand A set-up.

Lockie Ferguson will not bowl for the rest of the test. Photo / Photosport

That replacement will only operate as cover in the squad however, as fortunately for the Black Caps, they have a ready-made change to the starting XI on deck, with Trent Boult set to be fit to play in Melbourne.

Boult missed the Perth test after failing to recover in time from a rib injury suffered in the first test against England, but should be raring to go come Boxing Day as long as there are no further setbacks in training.

"Trent's going really well – he was probably 3-5 days short of being ready for this test match, and it was a risk we weren't prepared to take given the length of the season and what's still to come," said Black Caps head coach Gary Stead.

If required, Boult can have the opportunity of getting through some competitive overs in a warm-up game against a Victorian XI, a match that Tim Southee and Neil Wagner will be rested for after their exhaustive efforts in Perth, combining to bowl 111.3 overs in 40 degree heat after Ferguson hobbled off early in the first innings.

Southee ended with his second-best test match figures of 9-162, while Wagner finished with 7-151, and Stead was thrilled with the pair's efforts.

"We know we're not the fastest attack in the world but I thought the pressure they still managed to apply and hold was significant for us. Yes, we didn't get the result we wanted but I thought both of their performances in particular were lionhearted performances."

Now, New Zealand's greatest test bowling trio are set to be reunited, and Stead will be hoping that they can help produce one of New Zealand's greatest test victories.