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Coulter-Nile injury battle

Coulter-Nile injury battle

Key paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile remains in doubt for the Champions League and the Perth Scorchers will decide in the next two days whether to replace him with a rookie bowler.

The recent Australian player is still recovering from hamstring tendon surgery and may be withdrawn from the Scorchers squad that will travel to India on Saturday.

Cricket Australia has cleared Coulter-Nile to take part in the lucrative tournament but Scorchers management will not confirm his involvement until later this week.

Perth's first game is not for another 10 days and Coulter-Nile may still travel with the squad and be given the chance to prove his fitness for the later matches.

But the Scorchers may also decide to bring in a young bowler - perhaps rookie David Moody - if they don't want to risk Coulter-Nile.

"We will give him until the very last day," coach Justin Langer said recently. "Coults is a key player but is still 50-50."

The speedy swing bowler starred against England last summer with 10 wickets in the five-game one-day series and is likely to be considered for Australia's limited-overs campaign this summer, and the World Cup.

Perth have four other quicks in their squad with Yasir Arafat and Jason Behrendorff set to lead the attack, while promising youngsters Joel Paris and Simon Mackin may also get opportunities.

Adam Voges, who will captain the squad in the wake of Simon Katich's retirement, said the team was well prepared after the toughest pre-season of his career.

Being able to win the key moments in Perth's Big Bash tournament, which ushered the team into the Champions League, would provide tremendous self-belief for the challenging event.

"Barring the final, we didn't have a game that didn't go down to the last over," Voges said.

"We snuck our way over the line in those pressure moments last year. The belief that we have and knowing we can get through those situations will be very important.

"Our pre-season has been all about manufacturing pressure and though it is hard to do on the training track, and is something you have to experience when you're out there, we will be better for that experience.

"We have better understanding of those key moments and know that it is the time that you have to step up."

Ten of Perth's 15-man squad took part in last year's tournament.

Arafat also has experience in India, while representing Pakistan, and Mitch Marsh has played in three IPL editions.

  • Champions League squad: *Adam Voges (capt.), Ashton Agar, Yasir Arafat, Cameron Bancroft, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Simon Mackin, Mitch Marsh, Joel Paris, Craig Simmons, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman.


  • Scorchers schedule: *Sept 20, Dolphins, Mohali; Sept 24, Kolkata Knight Riders, Hyderabad; Sept 27, Chennai Super Kings, Bangalore; Sept 30, qualifier, Bangalore.