Bairstow sidelined by ‘freak’ golf injury

ENGLAND star Jonny Bairstow will miss the Test decider against South Africa this week and next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after sustaining a serious leg injury in a “freak accident” on the golf course.

Bairstow is understood to have slipped while approaching a tee during a round at Pannal Golf Club, near Harrogate, an incident that has left him requiring surgery and facing several months out.

The 32-year-old will be badly missed by his country, having hit a career-best run of form in the Test arena and just been handed a crucial new role at next month’s T20 tournament in Australia.

Just six hours before the ECB revaled his withdrawal through injury, managing director Rob Key had included Bairstow, above, in a 15-man squad for the event and named him as the team’s new opening batsman.

With Jason Roy dropped after an extensive run of disappointing form, Key confirmed the selection panel had chosen to promote Bairstow to the top of the order having identified him as the best player in the country to partner captain Jos Buttler.

Those plans will now require hasty revision, though a reprieve for Roy appears unlikely. Instead, there is a real chance his Surrey and Oval Invincibles team-mate Will Jacks could be selected.

Jacks is in excellent form and has been included as one of five