MELBOURNE: New Zealand’s sorry Australian tour took another turn for the worse as Trent Boult was ruled out of the third and final Test in Sydney with a fracture on his right hand, sustained while batting. Boult had been struck on the gloves by Mitchell Starc at the back-end of New Zealand’s first innings at the MCG, and went to hospital for x-rays during the tea break. The results confirmed a fracture, meaning Boult will fly home after the Melbourne Test and be out for at least four weeks. “Trent Boult suffered a fracture to the second-metacarpal of his right hand after being struck while batting on day three of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne,” a New Zealand Cricket spokesperson said. “An X-ray during the tea break confirmed the undisplaced fracture which will require around four weeks of rehabilitation, meaning Boult will return home to New Zealand at the end of the Test. A replacement player will be confirmed in due course.” Boult had missed the first Test of the series, in Perth, because of a side injury, but recovered in time to play the Boxing Day Test.
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