TRJ HIT BY ASHES KO
Back injury sinks dream of Australia tour
TOBY ROLAND-JONES’ Ashes dreams are in tatters after he was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the back.
It means that England’s latest pace bowling find, who announced himself with 5-57 against South Africa at the Oval, is likely to be watching as his teammates take on the Aussies.
Even if the injury is less severe than it looks, it could still take six weeks to heal, by which time England will already be in Australia.
It is a cruel blow for the 29-year-old who had to wait patiently for a chance in the Test side and when it came this summer he took it.
A brisk fast-medium bowler rather than with out-and-out pace, RolandJones has the ability to move the ball off the seam and generates good bounce from his height.
Unlike Stuart Broad and James Anderson, who were wrapped in cotton wool the moment the Test series with the Windies was over, Roland-Jones was keen to help Middlesex avoid relegation from Division One of the County Championship.
He pulled out of their game with Hampshire at Uxbridge to have a short rest following his international exertions, but thought he was OK to go again against Lancashire only to feel his back after bowling 10 overs in the first innings.
With Haseeb Hameed undergoing an operation on his broken finger yesterday, England’s Ashes cupboard is thinning out ahead of selection next week with the squad being announced on Wednesday.
For two of England’s oneday players there might still be a chance to force their way into the selectors’ thoughts with a big show against the West Indies in Bristol tomorrow.
It might be touch and go for Jos Buttler to get ahead of Ben Foakes as Jonny Bairstow’s understudy, but for Alex Hales there is a real chance he could pip Gary Ballance to be the extra batsman Down Under.
One-day skipper Eoin Morgan said: “I’d like to see Jos and Alex play in an Ashes series. Ashes and World Cups are the pinnacles of our careers so to see guys playing in that and doing well would boost their confidence massively.
“If I was in Alex’s position I’d just do as much as I can and see if I was selected. It’s nice he has an alternative plan to give him a cushion so it’s not the be-all and end-all for him to be selected for the Ashes.
“It takes a little bit of the weight off his shoulders. But certainly in the form he’s shown throughout this summer he’s got to be one of the most in-form batsmen in county cricket at the moment.
“He’s a massive part of our side. And I’ve seen a massive improvement in him.”