ENGLAND seamer Pat Brown has been ruled out of the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour with a lower back stress fracture.
The 21-year-old Worcestershire quick developed a recurrence of lower back symptoms whilst in Australia preparing to play for the Melbourne Stars in the Australian Big Bash. A scan has revealed a partial stress fracture.
He has been withdrawn from all cricket for the rest of the winter and will return to the UK to start his rehabilitation programme with the Worcestershire medical team.
England will announce a replacement for the three-match ODI series and for the three IT20s against South Africa which kicks off on February 4 in due course.
Brown made his debut for England when playing in four of the T20Is during the November series in New Zealand.
After a stint down under in the Big Bash, the pace ace was set to join county team-mate Moeen Ali in England’s squads for the ODIs and T20Is against South Africa.
It was a first ODI call-up for Brown made his T20I debut in the five game series versus New Zealand when he played in four of the matches at the tail end of last year.
Moeen returns to international cricket for the first time since the opening Test of the Ashes series against Australia.
He was part of England’s World Cup winning squad last summer in 50 over cricket.
Despite his injury, Pears chief Alex Gidman said he believed Brown had the hunger to ‘carry on improving’ to bolster his chances of firmly establishing himself as part of the England set-up.
“Pat did really, really well in New Zealand. He was actually quite unlucky, had a lot of catches dropped and a lot of balls which just fell short of fielders,” he said.
“On another day, in another series, four or five of those go to hand and it turns from being a good effort into a really, really good international start. I think he conducted himself really well and he should be pretty pleased with how he went about his business.
“He has got a great approach to his job. His job is a very tough job and he will have plenty of tough days and tough experiences.
“But he keeps coming back to the well and trying to compete in those situations again and as a club, as a coach and as captains, that is all you can ask for – guys who keeping coming back and trying and wanting to improve,” Gidman added.