Cricket: Milne's still in cup hunt despite side strain woe

Adam Milne's express deliveries will remain a menace if he can overcome a troubling side strain injury. Picture / Getty Images

Those who love seeing cricket balls form comet trails out of the bowler's hand can rest easy for now - Adam Milne is still in World Cup contention despite his side strain.

The 22-year-old pace bowler, who has captivated fans as the first New Zealander since Shane Bond to regularly bowl in excess of 150km/h, travelled with the national squad to Dunedin yesterday after undergoing a further diagnosis as to the source of his injury problem.

Milne spent time off the field during the fourth one-day international against Sri Lanka in Nelson after a tidy display in which he took two for 28 from seven overs.

"It is one of those muscle injuries that you tend to have a rethink about overnight," coach Mike Hesson said post-match. "Hopefully we got it early enough. You've got to be a wee bit cautious of side injuries for quick bowlers. He could've carried on, but we decided against it."

There is understood not to be any form of tear. Milne will lower his workload in the meantime as a form of preventative care.

He has become a menace for opposition as his erratic pace has morphed into sustained accuracy.

Since the Pakistan ODI series in December, Milne has taken nine wickets in seven matches at 32.22 compared with a career average of 45.63; he's taken a wicket in all but one game and dismissed Kumar Sangakkara in each of his three innings this series.

Milne's economy rate has also dropped to 4.71 in ODIs this season compared with 5.10 overall. He has exceeded five runs an over just twice.

Milne shapes as a World Cup weapon because although he's not considered a top-tier player, his venom holds an element of surprise. Teams will analyse video footage but only Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced him for a sustained period at international level.

He appeared to experience a resurgence in form and confidence in the United Arab Emirates against the hosts and Ireland before the Pakistan matches when batsmen dared not blink and wicketkeepers stood close to the horizon. Milne cleaned up the Irish tail to take five for 33 and secured three for 24 against the UAE which had them hobbling at 21 for five in the 12th over.

If Milne is lost ahead of the World Cup it will leave a large question mark as to what might have been.