Cricket: Trent Boult to miss third test against Australia due to injury

Trent Boult gets his injury assessed. Photo / AP

By Niall Anderson in Melbourne

The Black Caps have had injury added to insult after a demoralising day against Australia at the MCG.

Star seamer Trent Boult has been ruled out for four weeks, after fracturing the second metacarpal of his right hand when batting to Mitchell Starc in the first innings.

The left-hander came out to bowl in the second innings, and delivered nine overs, but disappeared briefly for a scan which returned the news of an undisplaced fracture, meaning Boult will head home early, missing the third test in Sydney, and potentially the start of the Indian series.

Trent Boult suffered the injury from a Mitchell Starc short ball. Photo / Getty

Boult had already missed the first test in Perth with a rib injury, and wasn't quite at his best in Melbourne, going 39 wicketless overs after his fourth-ball dismissal of Joe Burns in the first innings.

Black Caps opener Tom Latham said it was a blow for the team.

"It's obviously gutting news for Trent and also for our group to have someone like that ruled out with his injury is obviously disappointing.

"We'll have to see who the replacement is over the next few days but I'm sure whoever comes in will be up to the task."

Trent Boult gets his injury assessed. Photo / AP

Matt Henry is the favourite to replace Boult for the third test, which starts on January 3, with the uncapped Kyle Jamieson the other fast bowler in the squad. The Black Caps have already lost Lockie Ferguson for the series after he suffered a calf strain in the first test in Perth, while Tim Southee and Neil Wagner have had to handle major workloads, bowling a combined 205.4 overs in the series so far.

The Black Caps will name a replacement for Boult, with spinner Will Somerville a potential option, given Mitchell Santner's struggles in Australia, and the fact the Sydney pitch is expected to be the most conducive to spin.