Durham Signs Peter Siddle as Scott Boland Suffers Heel Injury
Durham County Cricket Club has signed Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle for their next six County Championship matches. This move comes after fellow Australian seamer Scott Boland was ruled out due to plantar fasciitis, an injury that affects the heel.
Boland had initially signed a multi-format deal to play for Durham until the end of July, including their T20 Blast campaign. However, his foot injury caused him to miss the opening Division One fixture against Hampshire due to rain and worsened after 13 wicketless overs against Warwickshire.
Scans revealed that the 35-year-old requires significant recovery and rehabilitation. Cricket Australia (CA) had encouraged Boland to play as much cricket as possible this English season to prepare for the upcoming Test series against India in November. As he is not in the T20 World Cup plans, Boland has ample time to recover from this setback.
Marcus North, Durham’s director of cricket, acted swiftly to secure Siddle as Boland’s replacement. The 39-year-old has a wealth of experience in county cricket, having played for Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Essex, and Somerset. Across these clubs, he has claimed 189 wickets at an average of 22.98.
“It was important we acted quickly to replace Scott Boland and we have done that with the addition of Peter Siddle for the County Championship,” North said in a statement. “We wish Scott all the best in his recovery. We look forward to welcoming Pete to Durham and watching him contribute to our success.”
