Starc undergoes surgery after deep shin laceration

Australia are hopeful that key fast bowler Mitchell Starc will be fit for the start of the home summer despite suffering a deep laceration to his left shin during a training mishap on Thursday. Starc collided with some training equipment during Australia's practice session at Hurstville Oval in Sydney on Thursday and was taken by ambulance to St George Hospital, where he underwent surgery and received approximately 30 stitches.

He will remain in hospital for the next few days and will use an extension brace in the coming weeks until his stitches are removed. However, Cricket Australia's chief medical officer, Dr John Orchard, who was at the ground and accompanied Starc to hospital, said that unless Starc suffered any complications he would hopefully remain on track to play Australia's first Test of the summer.

Australia's selectors had already announced that Starc would be rested from the ODI tour of South Africa, which starts later this month, in an effort to ensure he was fresh for the home Tests against South Africa and Pakistan. The first Test, against South Africa at the WACA, is still seven weeks away.

"Mitchell was taken to St George hospital in an ambulance this afternoon suffering a deep laceration to his left shin after colliding with some training equipment," Dr Orchard said. "Fortunately there were no bone fractures or tendon damage to his leg and he underwent surgery this afternoon to clean the wound and received approximately 30 stitches.

"He will remain in hospital for the next few days to minimise movement to his leg and will use an extension brace for the next two to three weeks until his stitches are removed. At this stage, barring any complications, we are hopeful he is on track to play at the start of the Australian summer."