Australia's Test bowling depth has taken a blow with back-up seamer Michael Neser ruled out of the remainder of the Australia A game at the MCG with a hamstring injury after claiming four wickets on the opening day to rip through India A's top order.
Neser was bowling his 13th over, having already taken 4 for 27 with some stunning swing and seam bowling in the morning session, when he pulled up sharply following his second delivery of the over. He immediately began limping off the ground in a clear sign that he knew exactly what the issue was.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed shortly after that Neser had injured his left hamstring and would not bowl again in the game. He will go for scans to assess the extent of the damage.
It is understood Neser had experienced some soreness in the same left hamstring after the last Sheffield Shield game he played on October 23 when he bowled 48.5 overs for Queensland against South Australia. That soreness saw him ruled out of the domestic One-Day Cup game against South Australia two days later.
He returned to training without any issues after a short break and was fine in the lead-up to this game. But the fast bowlers have had issues with the outfield at the MCG this season as it has been top dressed with sand following the Australian Football League season.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc suffered cramps in both the Shield and ODI games he has played here over the past two weeks and complained about how heavy the outfield was to run on. Australia and New South Wales team-mate Sean Abbott also noted how heavy his legs felt after the Shield game.
Neser had also come into the summer off an injury in the winter. He suffered a calf injury while playing in England and was on bowling restrictions in the pre-season right up until the first Shield game of the summer in Perth.
He was unlikely to be in Australia's Test squad for the first Test in Perth against India with Scott Boland set to be the sole back-up quick in what is expected to be a 13-man group. But there was an expectation that Neser could be needed at some point during the series. There is a nine-day break between the first two Tests but Australia are wary that there is only a three-day gap between the second and third Test in Adelaide and Brisbane. There is a seven-day break between the third and fourth Test and then another three-day break between the fourth and fifth Test.
Abbott and Nathan McAndrew would be among the contenders if Australia needed another fast bowler for a Test match beyond Boland.
There is some positive news from Western Australia with Jhye Richardson getting through a WA Second XI game last week and bowling 25 overs in the match for the first time in 12 months. He might be able to make a Shield return before the BBL break but it would be a big ask for him to be ready for a Test match given his long build back off a raft of injury issues.
Lance Morris has also not played a red-ball game this season coming off stress fractures in the winter and a quad strain. But he is in line to play an ODI on Sunday when Australia's big three are rested. He was also a chance to play a Shield game before the BBL provided he could build his loads up adequately.