CMJ: Australia lose two bowlers (14 August 1997)

Thursday 14 August 1997

Australia lose two bowlers

Christopher Martin-Jenkins reports.

TWO architects of Australia`s triumphant Ashes campaign will miss the final Test at the Oval next week. Paul Reiffel has returned home already and Jason Gillespie has a sufficiently bad back for Australia`s physiotherapist, Errol Allcott, to pronounce with finality: "Jason will not bowl another ball on this tour."

Gillespie was seeing a specialist in Nottingham yesterday for a suspected stress fracture. The injury was troubling the 22-yearold South Australian fast bowler even before the Trent Bridge Test, during which he took his tally in four Tests in England to 16 wickets at 20 runs each.

Reiffel`s pregnant English wife, Janet, has developed complications, so one of the more remarkable tours by any Australian in England has already finished. The easygoing Victorian left for Melbourne on Tuesday, having taken 11 wickets at 26 in his four Tests and enjoyed batting against England to such an extent that he made 179 runs at an average of 59. Originally left out of the touring party, he arrived as a replacement for Andrew Bichel, hit the seam on a length immediately and never looked back.

Australia lead by three games to one and these setbacks are now academic. They will give an opportunity to Michael Kasprowicz, who played in the first Test at Edgbaston, and Brendon Julian, successful in England four years ago but a bit-part player this time, to resume their Test careers.

There was mixed news for England`s selectors in advance of their meeting on Saturday. Dominic Cork is expected to play in Derbyshire`s championship match, starting tomorrow, having recovered from his hernia operation, but Darren Gough`s injured knee is likely to keep him out of Yorkshire`s side at Portsmouth despite a "70 per cent" improvement which gives him a chance of returning to the side at the Oval a week today.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/)