Ashes 2019 | Tim Paine and Peter Siddle played through Oval Test despite ailing injuries
Tim Paine has informed that he kept on playing in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval despite sustaining a thumb injury. Speedstar Peter Siddle was also ailing a hip injury and played through the match which the visitors lost after retaining the Ashes by sharing spoils in the Test series.
Cricket Australia’s medical staff is not too worried about the Australian skipper's injury and he is expected to recover soon. Finger related issues have been worrying the wicket-keeper batsman for quite some time now since he suffered a fatal injury in his right index finger during the All-Stars T20 game, back in November 2010. Following which he has undergone several surgeries with bone taken from his wrist and hips to cure the finger problem.
"There's a bit of recovery to be done. My thumb was broken towards the end of that Test but it is not displaced, so I should be right to get back into training early," said Tim Paine, as reported by Australian.
Paine addressed that he won’t be taking part in the Big Bash League and would focus on Test cricket and his leadership duties.Â
"I'm keen to see just how far we can take this team and I've decided to give up the BBL so I can concentrate on red-ball cricket and being in the best place to lead them," said the Australian.Â
The kangaroos recently retained the Ashes under the leadership of Paine playing out a 2-2 draw in the 5-match series. The Tasmanian made his captaincy debut against South Africa back in 2018 having led the side in 14 matches till now. Meanwhile, Paine lauded the efforts of Peter Siddle who played through a hip injury in the Oval Test after he was shortlisted for the side in the Oval test ahead of pacers like Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson.
"Being captain is draining and I think I should take every chance to recharge my batteries. I'll go back to the BBL when I'm finished, but for now my focus is on my main job. Peter Siddle tore a hip flexor bowling on the first morning. He has copped a bit of criticism for not bowling as well as we know he can, but the team knows just how heroic he was,” said the skipper.Â
“A lot of other people wouldn't have bowled again in the match, but he pushed on because he didn't want to leave Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to do extra work. He's a warrior, Sidds, and we love him deeply for that."
