Bracken to see specialist

Left arm pace bowler Nathan Bracken will visit a London specialist this afternoon to help determine the extent of the shoulder injury presently precluding his involvement in Australia's NatWest Series campaign.

Bracken has experienced soreness in his left shoulder for much of the last week and has not played since the Australians completed a 360-run win in the tour-opener against county team Worcestershire. He developed the problem early in the week and, aside from missing the Australians' one-day international contests against Pakistan and England respectively on Saturday and Sunday, was also a late withdrawal from the match against Northamptonshire.

Together with team physiotherapist Pat Farhart, Bracken will head to the specialist to undergo a MRI scan in a bid to illuminate the full extent of the injury and determine when he can resume playing. Depending on the seriousness of the problem, there is a possibility that he may even need to return to Australia, although such an outcome remains purely speculative at this stage.

In the event that Bracken's tour ends, Australian team management will consider a range of alternative bowling options to replace him on tour. Andy Bichel, currently playing for Worcestershire, is expected to be among the leading candidates. But consideration is also likely to extend to a number of players still back at home in Australia.