Cricket: Injury bowls Nash for remainder of season

By RICHARD BOOCK

For Dion Nash, learning to manage his disappointment is becoming just as important as learning to manage his rebellious back injuries.

The New Zealand cricketer was yesterday ruled out of the game for the rest of the season after a stress fracture was discovered in his lower spine, and is not expected to play again until the tour of Africa late in the year.

The injury is different to the disc problem which sidelined him for the 1996-97 season, forced his premature return from last year's tour of India, and cut short his one-day campaign against the West Indies.

But neither Nash nor team doctors know when he picked it up.

"It's another disappointment, but I've got to be philosophical," Nash said from Dunedin yesterday.

"The good news is that it's a new injury and it's a pretty clear-cut situation, and hopefully I'll be fit enough for the next series.

"It's annoying this should happen when we're at the top of our game and getting ready to play the world champions, but that's life I guess.

"I wish all our guys the best, and I'll be working hard to make it back in time for the tour to Africa."

Nash, who last bowled in the fourth one-day international against the West Indies in Wellington last month, played solely as a specialist batsman for Auckland in the Shell Cup in a move he thinks "probably didn't help" his condition.

"But we didn't know then what we know now," he said. "I was pretty keen to play and it was felt that I wouldn't aggravate the problem if I didn't bowl. Later we found the stress fracture."

NZC spokesman Gilbert Enoka explained last night that it was decided to send Nash for another scan when the 28-year-old made no improvement during his highly-successful campaign as a batsman for Auckland.

"It's difficult to determine exactly when the injury occurred," said Enoka. "Earlier scans had shown nothing, but when Dion made no progress during the Auckland stint we opted for another - and there it was."

NZC's sports physician Dr Rob Campbell said the prognosis was favourable, albeit involving a lengthy lay-off.

"We're confident that, with a rehabilitative programme avoiding the stress of fast-bowling, Dion will make a complete recovery in a few months.

"He'll have a further examination by the end of this week to determine the full extent of the fracture to the vertebrae in his lower spine. Once we know what we're up against we'll begin a programme which is likely to require a three month rest from bowling."

Unlike the past few weeks, however, Nash is unlikely to return as a specialist batsman in the Shell Trophy, and will miss being involved in the renaissance of Auckland cricket.

"It's been suggested to me that I shouldn't play any part in the trophy, that I should give the body a complete rest and I'm inclined to take that advice," he said.

"It's a shame really, because I loved playing for Auckland in the Shell Cup.

"It was really enjoyable to be playing in a side with such enthusiasm and so much to prove. Everyone was super keen and I had a great time - their attitude was a breath of fresh air."