Cricket: More treatment means Fleming still sidelined

Stephen Fleming

Ongoing treatment for a facial tumour means Stephen Fleming will miss Wellington's State Championship cricket match starting today against Otago.

Fleming had been named to play in the four-day match in Dunedin after making his comeback for New Zealand last Saturday when he scored a nine-ball duck in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day game against Australia in Christchurch.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) today said Fleming was undergoing follow-up medical treatment after his recent surgery to remove a lump from his jaw and expects to be available to play for Wellington next week against Central Districts.

NZC did not say what that treatment involved.

Fleming, 32, missed the opening two matches against Australia after having a benign tumour removed from his jaw.

He played for Wellington last week when they beat Canterbury in a State Championship game in Christchurch, then returned to the New Zealand side when they beat Australia, also in Christchurch, by two wickets.

- NZPA