Cricket: Cracked back puts star spinner out until Christmas

New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been ruled out of cricket until Christmas because of a stress crack fracture in his back.

Vettori, who was invalided out of the tour to Zimbabwe after the first test ended last week, was examined on his return by New Zealand Cricket's medical panel and at the High Performance Centre at Lincoln.

Medical panel head Dr Rob Campbell said yesterday that tests this week on Vettori's back showed there was an indication of a crack in one of his bones.

Although this was not as serious as a fracture, the injury would require careful rehabilitation.

Vettori had suffered back problems at the end of last season.

"Before he went away last month, he was fully recovered, was symptom-free and was able to cope with a full bowling workload," Campbell said.

"It's just one of those things that Daniel now appears to have a cracked bone in his back, which was not there when he was fully examined after his back problems in March.

"We will now look at all aspects of his bowling action and physical training regime in order to see what is causing the problem.

"Fortunately, we have every confidence that given the right rehabilitation programme, he will fully recover and we expect him to be back in top cricket before too long."

Vettori said that while he was disappointed to be missing the one-dayers against Zimbabwe and the three tests and six one-dayers against South Africa, he was optimistic about his future.

"I'm targeting being back for the Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe at the Basin Reserve.

"In the meantime, I'll be engaged in a programme of light build-up such as swimming for the next month and then, if all goes well, the medical team will be getting me to take on a heavier build-up so that I will be ready in December."

Operations manager John Reid said NZC was concerned at the increasing number of back injuries to bowlers and would call on its medical panel to review coaching, conditioning and workload demands.

Vettori's Northern Districts coach, Chris Kuggeleijn, voiced his dismay at the bowler's workload during the first test against Zimbabwe.

Vettori bowled 52 overs in the first innings and did not look comfortable.

"I couldn't see the sense in making Dan bowl for so long. He's the sort of bloke who will bowl himself into the ground for you."

Meanwhile, New Zealand take on Zimbabwe in the second one-day international in Bulawayo tonight after putting them away easily in the opening match in the three-game series in Harare on Thursday.

New Zealand won by seven wickets with 9.1 overs to spare, chasing just 184 to win.

The win was achieved with nearly half the top lineup out with injury or illness, a fact that coach David Trist noted with pride.

"It's been very pleasing that players have stepped up," he said.

He felt there were big opportunities in coming weeks for the younger players to command a regular place in the team.

Dion Nash and Geoff Allott remain day-by-day propositions, giving new responsibility to Shayne O'Connor and Daryl Tuffey, who formed a useful new-ball attack in the first match.

Allrounder Glen Sulzberger also slotted into the team comfortably on debut, while Craig Spearman stepped up to No 3 batsman in the absence of Stephen Fleming, who was ill, to score 86 and help stand-in captain Roger Twose guide the run chase.

Trist was tightlipped about a likely team tonight, but confirmed he would have no problems changing a winning side.

One beneficiary of the squad rotation policy will be offspinner Paul Wiseman, who missed out to Sulzberger's superior batting and fielding on Thursday.

"There is an opportunity for Wiseman to come in, although we were very happy with Sulzberger," Trist said.

New Zealand (from): Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Chris Nevin, Craig Spearman, Roger Twose, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Scott Styris, Dion Nash, Glen Sulzberger, Paul Wiseman, Daryl Tuffey, Shayne O'Connor and Geoff Allott.

Zimbabwe (from): Heath Streak (capt), Alistair Campbell, Craig Wishart, Stuart Carlisle, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Guy Whittall, Dirk Viljoen, Mluleki Nkala, Paul Strang, Bryan Strang, Henry Olonga, Gary Brent and Mpumelelo Mbangwa.

- NZPA