Australia's Pat Cummins faces another long injury lay-off

Highly rated Australian youngster Pat Cummins faces another spell on the sidelines

Highly rated Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins has suffered another injury setback and is set to miss much of the 2013-14 domestic season, after a recurrence of his lower back stress injury. Cummins, 20, has already faced significant layoffs in the previous two domestic seasons due to injuries.

“Pat returned home early from the Australia A tour of South Africa with some side/back soreness and scans have shown a partial recurrence of his lower back bone stress injury suffered in October last year when he returned home from Champions League,” CA chief medical officer, Justin Paoloni, said. “He will be closely monitored to determine his return to the playing field, but expect that he will miss most of the 2013-14 domestic cricket season.”

Cummins’ injury problems have limited his chances of playing international cricket for Australia. The 20-year-old made a sensational Test debut against South Africa in November 2011, where he took 7 wickets, including 6 in the second innings, as his performance earned Australia a narrow victory and himself a Man of the Match award on debut. Unfortunately, the young fast bowler has not  played a Test for Australia since.