Gillespie to miss rest of Test series

Australia paceman Jason Gillespie, who sustained a calf injury in the first Test victory over Pakistan in Sri Lanka on Monday, has been ruled out of the rest of the series.

In a statement on Tuesday the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) said Gillespie would be replaced in the squad by Western Australia fast bowler Brad Williams.

Williams, 27, made his one-day international debut against New Zealand earlier this year but has yet to play in a Test match. He is rated as one of Australia's quickest bowlers.

Williams has played 43 first-class matches for Western Australia and Victoria, taking 156 wickets at 30.48. He was 12th man for Australia in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa in December last year when Gillespie withdrew from the squad with a shoulder injury.

Gillespie, 27, who has taken 126 wickets at 26.36 in 34 Tests, also broke down with injury in Sri Lanka in 1999 while attempting a catch in a Test at Kandy. The aggressive fast bowler collided with captain Steve Waugh, breaking his leg while Waugh broke his nose.

Gillespie's place in the 11 this week is likely to go to uncapped off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, 20, who was 12th man in Colombo this week, or paceman Andrew Bichel.

The ACB statement said Williams would leave Australia on Tuesday while Gillespie would remain with the squad for further treatment.

"Gillespie injured the calf while bowling after lunch on the final day of the first Test against Pakistan in Colombo," it said.

Australia, ranked number one in Test cricket, won the first Test by 41 runs. The second and third Tests in the three-match series will be played in Sharjah with the next Test starting on Friday.

The series is being played at neutral venues because of security fears in Pakistan.

Mail Cricket Editor