Rogers out dizzy following head hit

A DARK cloud hangs over Chris Rogers’ future in Test cricket, after a sudden dizzy spell forced the Australian opener to retire hurt two days after he was struck on the head in the second Test at Lord’s.

Rogers has had a concerning run of concussion- related problems dating back to last summer and the fear is he may have suffered a delayed reaction to being hit by a Jimmy Anderson bouncer 48 hours earlier.

The left- hander said he felt fine before going out to bat on day four, but looked unsteady on his feet at the non- striker’s end two overs in and was forced to retire on 49 in an alarming turn of events.

Rogers, 37, was ruled out of the two- Test series against the West Indies last month due to concussion, and this latest incident has only added to concerns over his health.

The form batsman so far this Ashes tour, losing Rogers for a Test or the series would be a massive blow to Australia.

But it’s known that Rogers was deeply troubled in the Caribbean.

Play was just two overs old when Rogers, not facing, signalled to the dressing room that he required urgent attention. Opening partner David Warner who showed such commendable awareness on the field in the moments after the Phillip Hughes tragedy, quickly encouraged a dizzy-looking Rogers to sit down on the turf until help arrived.

Team physio Alex Kountouris, doctor Peter Brukner and Brad Haddin rushed out, and the decision was immediately made to help Rogers off the field.

Rogers only faced five balls in the morning without incident – but he did cop a nasty blow to the head on the first ball of day two from England paceman Anderson. The short ball left him stunned, but medical staff let him bat on.

Last summer Rogers was smashed in the helmet fielding at short leg and in the wake of the Hughes tragedy, the incident left him badly shaken.

He was struck in the head by a net bowler in the lead- up to the series in the West Indies and was ruled out of both matches by the medical staff.