Sri Lanka pace bowler Dilhara Fernando has been ruled out of the home one-day series against Australia after suffering another back injury.

The 24-year-old, whose career has been plagued by injuries, has been ruled out of the five-match series starting this month after breaking down during the current domestic tournament.

"Scans have shown that he has a stress fracture on the right-hand side of his lower back and he will not be able to bowl for four weeks," team physio Paul Klarenaar told reporters.

Fernando, who played a key role in Sri Lanka's record recent Test win over England, had only just recovered from a stress fracture on the right-hand side of his lower back which sidelined him for most of 2003.

The news is a major blow for a Sri Lanka bowling unit that needs the extra firepower provided by Fernando, by far their liveliest fast bowler and a skilled exponent of reverse swing.

Fernando has taken 37 wickets in 14 Tests at 36.21 and 73 wickets in 55 one-dayers at 28.05.

The search for a partner for experienced left-armer Chaminda Vaas has been further hampered by the news that pace bowler Prabath Nissanka's recovery from knee surgery is taking longer than expected.

Nissanka underwent surgery in his left knee after Sri Lanka's tour of West Indies in June. He now hopes to be fit enough to travel to New Zealand in March with the 'A' team.

Dinusha Fernando, Vaas' partner during the first two Tests against England, is also struggling for form, leaving the selectors with a major headache as they prepare to take on the world champions.

Australia arrive in Sri Lanka on February 16 for a six-week tour that starts with five one-day internationals followed by three Tests in Galle, Kandy and Colombo.