Image Credit- AP
Before the first Test match between Australia and New
Zealand in Wellington on Wednesday, opener Devon Conway will have to undergo a
fitness test for his damaged thumb. He hasn’t hit a ball since taking a blow to
the hand last Friday and needs more evaluations from specialists.
Friday in Auckland during the second Twenty20 International against Australia,
Conway injured his left thumb while keeping wicket. Despite not keeping or
batting following the blow and being ruled out of the third match of the series,
the initial scans did not reveal a fracture.
Conway will not be training on Tuesday, according to New Zealand coach Gary
Stead, and it will be decided on Wednesday whether or not he can play in the
opening Test.
“We’re still investigating Devon’s thumb at the
moment,” Stead said. “He’s seeing a number of specialists at the
moment. You won’t see him at training today. But we are hoping that we can make
a call tomorrow morning around where that sits. He’s had a bat in his hand a
few times. It’s not comfortable at the moment. But, as I said, we’re still
investigating exactly what’s going on in the thumb. We’ve had a number of
different specialists look at it.”
“He’s going to get more scans later today and
more expertise on it,” Stead said. “We obviously want Devon to play.
He’s a key person I think in our batting order. His record speaks for itself.
So we want to give him every chance of being available.
Stead stated that Rachin Ravindra, who was sidelined
for the last two Twenty20 Internationals against Australia due to knee pain,
will be able to participate. Daryl Mitchell, who missed the entire Twenty20
International series against Australia and the second Test against South Africa
due to a persistent heel ailment, is also available to play.
Unless Conway is declared out, in which case Will Young will begin the batting
with Tom Latham, Mitchell will resume his position at No. 5.