PALLEKELE: Australia called up left-arm spinner Jon Holland in a like-for-like replacement on Friday after a hamstring injury has all but ended Steve O’Keefe’s tour of Sri Lanka.

O’Keefe , who impressed selectors with a 10-wicket haul in Australia’s only practice game of the tour in Colombo, hobbled off the field after hurting his right hamstring on day three of the ongoing first Test, having claimed three wickets in the opener of the three-match series.

“Initial assessment indicates a moderate grade hamstring injury which means it is highly unlikely that he will be available for the remainder of the Test series,” physiotherapist David Beakley said in a statement issued by Cricket Australia.

“Steve will remain with the squad in Kandy until the end of the Test and will undertake imaging on the injury upon his return to Australia.”

The injury is a blow to 31-year-old O’Keefe’s bid to step out of the shadow of Nathan Lyon.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2016