Aussie pace prodigy ready for comeback

SYDNEY: Teenage fast bowler Pat Cummins will return to competitive cricket from a lengthy injury lay-off, joining Australia’s under-19 squad for a series in Queensland next week, Cricket Australia said Friday.Cummins, 18, missed the entire Australian summer season with a bone stress injury in his heel suffered during his man-of-the-match seven-wicket debut in last November’s second Johannesburg Test against South Africa.
The youngster has now sufficiently recovered from the injury to play competitive cricket again and he will bowl in a series featuring Australia, England, India and New Zealand in Townsville, from April 5-15.
“Pat’s inclusion in the Australia under-19 squad for the quad series is part of his management plan to reintroduce him to competitive cricket while being able to closely monitor his workload,” CA General Manager Pat Howard said.
“His progress will be assessed on a day-by-day basis throughout the series to ensure his overall programme remains on track.”
Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Cummins was ready to bowl again.
“Pat is at an advanced stage of his rehabilitation and we feel he will benefit from bowling in a competitive environment,” Kountouris said.
“He’ll be on a restricted programme and is being taken to Townsville so we can continue his progression and introduce some competition time.
“He won’t play in every match or bowl his full allocation of overs, but will undertake a programme that will allow us to carefully manage his involvement in the squad’s training and matches.”
The quad series is a key warm-up event ahead of the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Australia in August.