Australia’s reserve wicket keeper, Tim Paine, has been ruled out for between six and eight weeks following a broken finger inflicted during an exhibition match on Sunday night.
The player, who was part of the Australia ‘A’ side which was dismantled by England last week, damaged his right index finger after being hit by a 148 km/hour delivery from team-mate Dirk Nannes and will subsequently miss being involved in any Ashes betting odds.
It is the fourth broken finger Paine has suffered in the past two years, with the most recent in a One-Day International against India last October which ended his tour of the sub-continent early
This means that there will be even more pressure on first choice wicket keeper, Brad Haddin, who whilst excellent with the bat, has still not filled the enormous shoes left by Adam Gilchrist following his retirement. Not that this is any reflection on the New South Wales player – he has taken 110 catches and 2 stumpings at Test level – but more proof of just how talented his predecessor was.
Paine is heavily tipped by Ashes online betting pundits to become Haddin’s long-term replacement and his injury is another little distraction which captain Ricky Ponting and the under-fire board of selectors could have done without in this most important of preparatory weeks.
Graeme Manou is expected to be drafted in as Paine’s replacement – the same man who ironically made his debut by replacing Paine in India when he had again broken a finger – but since then, Manou has not added to that Test cap.
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