Australia coach Mickey Arthur confirmed on Monday night that pace bowler Ben Hilfenhaus had been ruled out of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day because of a side strain.
Hilfenhaus, who missed the third Test against South Africa which ended in Perth earlier this month with a sore knee, took 1-30 from 12.2 overs in Sri Lanka’s first innings of the first Test in Hobart before breaking down with a side injury on Sunday morning.
Hilfenhaus made a duck in Australia’s second innings but didn’t take the field in Sri Lanka’s second innings and scans have confirmed a side-muscle injury.
“Ben Hilfenhaus has a side injury,” Arthur told a news conference on Monday night.
“He’s certainly not a starter for Boxing Day and we’ll see after that.”
Australia’s pace-bowling stocks have suffered a series of mighty blows already this summer with James Pattinson, Ryan Harris, Patrick Cummins and Josh Hazlewood among those on the sidelines.
Mitchell Johnson, who was named 12th man for the Hobart Test after playing in the previous Test in Perth, is likely to be recalled to the side.
Arthur said uncapped Tasmania quick Jackson Bird was a contender for a call-up to the squad for the Melbourne Test.
“All I can say is we’ve had a list of bowlers leading into our summer, and we’re well down the list at the moment,” Arthur said.
“But it’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for a couple of those guys.
“The names that have been on everyone’s lips are a guy like Jackson Bird.
“It could be Nathan Coulter-Nile, and that will form part of the discussions we have tonight.”