Australia paceman Starc ruled out of entire summer

ADELAIDE, (Reuters) – Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the test series against West Indies and is no certainty to play in Australia’s tour of New Zealand early next year as he recovers from a broken foot, the left-armer said yesterday.

Starc limped off the field during the first day of the third and final test against New Zealand in Adelaide and scans later confirmed he had suffered a stress fracture in his right foot.

Wearing a moonboot and walking with crutches, Starc told reporters he was reluctant to put a schedule on his recovery.

“Once I get home I’ll talk to the medical staff a bit more and map it out and see what it looks like,” he said when asked whether he would be fit for the two-test return series against New Zealand in February.

“I’ll be in this boot for three or four weeks depending on how it’s going and probably reassess then, so there’s no point putting a time stamp on it yet until the bone heals.