In a dramatic twist the finger injury to injured Australian wicket keeper Tim Paine looks to have cost him his career as the young 27-year-old announced he had changed management teams in order to find him a columnist role in the media after doctors revealed he would never keep wicket again.
Paine, 27, was seen as the logical replacement for current Australian wicket keeper Brad Haddin when the time came for the New South Wales based wicket keeper to hang up his gloves, and with them his baggy green cap, evident by his four test match appearances and 26 One Day International appearances for his country at times of Brad Haddin being injured or rested from international duty.
The Tasmanian-based Tim Paine was pushing Brad Haddin to retain his regular Test and One Day position as the technically sound Paine continued to score runs in first class cricket for the Tasmanian Tigers and at every opportunity he had for the international team scoring 287 runs in test match cricket at an average of 35.87, and a further 737 runs in International One Day cricket at an average of 39.48.
It has been widely reported that the plates inserted into his damaged finger, reportedly suffered during a pre-season training mis-hap, snapped and broke causing further damage to the finger once the 27-year-old thought he had recovered and had returned to training.
The latest injury to Paine has effectively ended his career as a wicket keeper with leading experts, and former players, questioning as to whether the former player will actually be able to mount a return to first class cricket yet alone international cricket with many Australian based first class players with better batting averages.
Cricket Australia doctor Trefor James said: “Tim Paine’s recovery from surgery for a fractured finger has been slower than expected. Tim has been reviewed by specialists and CA medical staff. It is clear that the fracture has not healed as expected and the best course of action is for Tim to undergo further surgery. ”
“I could tell by watching him trying to make a fist he was a mile away from competitive cricket,” South Australian coach Darren Berry said after seeing Tim Paine at a Sheffield Shield match earlier in the season.
Paine has sacked his former management team and has hired new representation to focus on getting into the media field. It is reported that FoxSports are looking at the former international for a re-vamped Inside Cricket show next season after the 27-year-old has had further media training.
Tagged with: Baggy Green Cap, Batting Averages, Class Cricket, Cricket Australia, Dramatic Twist, Finger Injury, Fracture, Fractured Finger, Hap, International Appearances, International Cricket, Management Teams, Medical Staff, New South Wales, Pre Season Training, Tasmanian Tigers, Test Match Cricket, Tim Paine, Trefor, Wicket Keeper