Cricket: Knee injury forces Windies' Samuels out

SYDNEY - A knee injury has forced West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels to withdraw from this week's third test against Australia and return home early.

Team officials said the injury was not serious but Samuels would need to rest for at least two weeks, ruling him out of the final test starting in Adelaide on Thursday.

"His MRI scans were encouraging since it confirmed no new damage," team physiotherapist Stephen Partridge said in a statement.

"At this stage he would need to rest his knee for at least two weeks and in consultation with Marlon it was decided that the best place to achieve that would be at home in Jamaica."

Samuels has a history of knee problems and the latest injury occurred when he was struck by a delivery from Australian fast bowler Brett Lee in the first innings of the second test in Hobart.

Samuels was forced to bat with a runner in the second innings and was unable to field for most of the match. Australia won the match by nine wickets to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead into the final test.

"It is disappointing that I am not able to complete the tour but this is an unfortunate situation and I need to heed the medical advice now so that there is no further damage," he said.

Samuels scored a first-class career-best 257 in the opening tour match against Queensland but failed to make an impact in the first two tests with scores of 5, 17 not out, 5 and 29.

With the tour nearing an end, West Indies will not be calling up a replacement.

- REUTERS