ENGLAND CRICKET NEWS

Stress fracture rules Olly Stone out of the season

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Warwickshire fast bowler had made his Test debut against Ireland last month © Getty

England and Warwickshire fast bowler Olly Stone has been ruled out of the rest of the season following a recurrence of the partial stress fracture to his left lower back. Stone, 25, originally picked up the injury on the tour of the West Indies early this year and was ruled out for a significant period of time.

Stone returned to competitive action in early July and was handed his Test debut in the one-off Test against Ireland, where he took three wickets in the first innings of the match. The fast bowler, capable of bowling in excess of 90 miles per hour, was picked in the Ashes squad but released after not making the XI for the first Test at Edgbaston. It emerged thereafter that Stone had aggravated his injury in training at Edgbaston and was ruled out of the ongoing Lord's Test, an injury that has subsequently cost him the season.

"Olly had such a fantastic season in 2018 and looked set to play an important role for England as well as ourselves this summer after making his Test debut just two weeks ago. We're obviously gutted to lose him just over a month after returning to senior cricket," said Paul Farbrace, sports director of Warwickshire.

Stone enjoyed a stellar 2018 season for the club, picking up 43 wickets from seven County games at an average of 12.20. His three fifers over the course of this run helped Warwickshire top the Division Two standings and thereby clinch promotion to the first division for this year. Stone's absence for the remainder of the season will severely dent Warwickshire's prospects of staying up. With just two wins from 10 games so far, they sit seventh in the eight-team first division standings.

"Being able to bowl consistently at speeds in excess of 90 mph places huge demands on the body and, with Olly's season having ended prematurely, he will now work our medical and strength and conditioning teams to get stronger and fitter than ever," Farbrace said.

© Cricbuzz

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