Sydney Nov 10 (IANS) Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has been ruled out of the upcoming Ashes series due to the recurrence of a nagging back injury.
"Nathan Coulter-Nile has been sidelined with an "aggravation" of a previous stress fracture that curtails his Ashes dreams but could see him return to cricket at the back end of the summer " Cricket Australia announced on Friday.
Coulter-Nile played his first Sheffield Shield match in more than two years earlier this year before being rested for the second round of matches.
The right-armer captained Western Australia XI against the English in a two-day tour match on November 4-5 but complained of back pain afterwards.
"Nathan experienced some pain in his back following the two-day tour match against England last week. Subsequent scans have revealed an early stage aggravation of his old stress fracture " Cricket Australia Sports Science and Sports Medicine Manager Alex Kountouris said.
"Whilst this is a setback the good news is that it has been picked up early so we are only considering a short break from bowling while we monitor him.
"We expect he will have further scans over the next month which will determine when he can return to bowling " he added.
Coulter-Nile s injury leaves the Australian pace attack comprising Mitchell Starc Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins without any significant back-up during the five-Test Ashes series against England which starts on November 23.
--IANS
ajb/dg
