WELLINGTON: Black Caps opening batsman Devon Conway has been ruled out of the first Test against Australia with a thumb injury, New Zealand Cricket said on Wednesday, on the eve of the match. Conway will miss the game, which starts in Wellington on Thursday, after injuring his thumb in the Twenty20 defeat to Australia in Auckland last Friday.
New Zealand lost the T20 series 3-0. He was sidelined for the first Test after scans showed damage to his left thumb, New Zealand Cricket said. Veteran batsman Henry Nicholls was called in as cover. “It’s disappointing for Devon to be sent off on the eve of an important game,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “He’s a top-class player who bats at the top of the order for us and I know he was really looking forward to this series.”
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But Stead welcomed the return of Nicholls, who was initially left out of the squad. “It’s nice to have a player of Henry’s caliber to use,” Stead said. “He has a lot of Test experience and covers a number of positions in our batting order.” The Black Caps are waiting to see if Conway will be able to play in the second and final Test, which starts in Christchurch on March 8.
