MELBOURNE: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc, the player of the tournament at the recent cricket World Cup, will be out for up to three weeks after suffering a minor knee injury.

The 25-year-old left-arm paceman climbed to the top of the world’s one-day international rankings for bowlers after taking 22 wickets in Australia’s World Cup winning campaign but suffered a left knee niggle during the closing stages.

“Mitchell had some knee soreness during the later stages of the World Cup,” team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a report on Cricket Australia’s website.

“He will have a short period off to rest and recover, before being reassessed by CA medical staff. We estimate his recovery time will be between two-three weeks.”

Australia will hope to have a fully fit Starc for their tours to the Caribbean and Engl­and. The team will play two Tests against West Indies in June before the five-Test Ashes starts in England in July.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2015

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