PERTH: New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult is in doubt for the historic day/night third Test against Australia, starting at the Adelaide Oval on Friday, because of a back injury.

Left-armer Boult was unable to bowl in New Zealand’s just-completed tour match in Perth against West Australia because of an irritated disc; the same injury suffered by his new ball partner Tim Southee during the first Test at Brisbane.

Southee quickly recovered to bowl in the second Test at Perth but head coach Mike Hesson said Boult will have to demonstrate full fitness by Wednesday to be considered for selection.

“We’ll have to see how he travels to Adelaide but he’s certainly an option for the Test,” Hesson told reporters on Monday. “We’ve got a plan and he’s got to bowl flat out two days out from the Test [on Wednesday]). If he’s able to get through that he’ll be considered for the Test.

Boult has been recovering from back problems which forced him out of the one-day series in England earlier this year and the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in August.

Hesson said bowling on hard pitches in back-to-back Tests in the Australia series had not helped Boult.

“I guess when you come back from a back injury there’s an element of confidence and also being able to know when you can push through and when you can’t,” the New Zealand coach admitted. “He’s in good hands with the physio. He’s an outstanding physio so I’m sure we’ll know more when we get to Adelaide.”

Boult took six wickets in the Brisbane and Perth Tests, including Australia captain Steve Smith three times and star opener David Warner twice.

Apart from Boult, New Zealand’s other seamers in the touring squad are Southee, Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry and left-armer Neil Wagner.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2015