Key Blackcaps Test bowler Neil Wagner is in doubt for the upcoming Test series against South Africa after fracturing the ring finger on his bowling hand.
The injury occurred whilst Wagner was fielding a ball off his own bowling during the Otago Volts clash against the Auckland Aces in Invercargill on Wednesday.
The Test series against South Africa kicks off in Dunedin on March 8 but Blackcaps coach Mike Hesson said it would be touch and go for Wagner to play.
"The initial assessment is that Neil will require four to six weeks for recovery, but we'll be in a position to make a better judgement on that in the next couple of weeks," said Hesson.
"Neil's an important member of our Test side and he is obviously desperate to play in such a big series, so we'll do everything we can to get him back on the park as soon as possible."
Wagner has become a very important part of the Blackcaps line-up and one of the team's most destructive bowlers, taking a cumulative 10-246 during the two-Test series against Bangladesh in January.
Newshub.