Oz mystery spin weapon McGain on ice with a frozen shoulder

Jaipur, Sept.25 : Australia's preparations for next month's Test series against India have got off to a bad start with key wrist spinner Bryce McGain unable to bowl.

Thirty-six-year-old McGain is still recovering from the shoulder problem he picked up during his time with Australia A here earlier this month, but coach Tim Nielsen is confident he will get to the bowling crease in the next couple of days.

"Bryce is keen to have a bowl, it's a shame he got his little niggle in India with the A tour so we're just nursing him through the last stage of that rehab, he'll get going in the next day or so and be ready to have a trundle,'' news.com.au quoted Nielsen as saying.

"Once he can get his first bowl over here he'll be a little more relaxed,'' Nielsen added. McGain's absence from the spinners' net left another unheralded off-spin tweaker, Jason Krejza, to be watched with interest by the Indian media. Opener Matthew Hayden is also fighting to earn the confidence of the tour selectors after being incapacitated for the winter with an Achilles problem.

ANI