AFP
Sydney, Australia
Paceman Kane Richardson has been ruled out of Australia's final one-day international against New Zealand with back trouble and will be replaced by Joel Paris, Cricket Australia said Sunday.
Richardson was a late withdrawal from Saturday's second ODI and CA said he would return home "for further investigation into the issue". Paris had been with Western Australia's Sheffield Shield squad in Lincoln, New Zealand, where he took four wickets for 37 in the drawn match against New South Wales. Paris made his ODI debut in this season's ODI series against India.
Richardson faces an anxious wait to determine the extent of his back injury with Australia set to announce their World T20 squad later this week. Richardson's injury trouble adds further problems for selectors already faced with injuries to T20 skipper Aaron Finch and all-rounder James Faulkner, who both have hamstring issues.
Australia levelled the three-game Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ODI series with a four-wicket win over the Black Caps in Wellington on Saturday. The third and final match will be played in Hamilton on Monday.
Paceman James Pattinson is also with the Australia squad in New Zealand but he has been instructed to focus on the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington starting on February 12.
