Strain for Cane

Injury puts Canes import’s return in question

THE Hobart Hurricanes are increasingly worried about the form and fitness of one of their key strike weapons.

The former international has missed all of the English domestic T20 competition with a quadricep strain that has the Hurricanes’ hierarchy worried as the players prepare for a tour of the United Arab Emirates.

ALARM bells are ringing at the Hurricanes over the form and fitness of import Tymal Mills.

The Hurricanes’ tour of the United Arab Emirates is looming as pivotal if the big English quick is to see out the second year of his contract.

Mills underperformed in his first year in purple, and was dropped for the semi-final and final. He came into the tournament underprepared because of a hamstring strain and history is repeating.

The former international left-armer missed all of the English domestic T20 competition with a quadricep strain that has the Hurricanes hierarchy worried.

“We are slightly concerned and it certainly puts a lot of onus on him in what he needs to do in his preparation,” Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins said.

“He is going to be coming with us to the UAE.

“But he needs to get the miles in his legs, he will need to do that.

“It might involve him com- ing to Australia earlier, I’m not quite sure just yet.

“The reason why he struggled while he was here was he didn’t have enough cricket behind him. I think we can predict the outcome if he arrives in a similar situation.

“The fact he hasn’t played is a concern.”

Mills, recruited as a strike bowler with his express pace and clever changes of pace, played in all 10 roster games of BBL07, but took only eight wickets at an average of 48.6 runs apiece, with an economy rate of almost 10 runs an over.

Hobart will be one of just six Twenty20 sides gunning for $US150,000 in prizemoney in an Abu Dhabi T20 tournament in October.

It will be a vastly different looking Hurricanes team and set-up, with the domestic 50over competition, the JLT Cup, on at the same time and taking precedence.

The squad will not be led by new head coach Adam Griffith because of his Tigers commitments, and instead will be under the leadership of an assistant coach and head of the Hurricanes academy who is yet to be appointed.

Cummins said CT hoped to announce the appointment in the next two weeks.