Injured Bracken to return home, Noffke drafted in

Nathan Bracken is to leave the Travelex Australian Tour of the UK 2001 due to continuing pain and instability in his left shoulder.

The New South Wales left-arm pace bowler is to be replaced by Queensland's Ashley Noffke.

Bracken has undergone two and a half weeks of strengthening and rehabilitation work on his shoulder after suffering the injury during the Australians' match against Middlesex at Lord's on 5 June.

But despite this, he still suffered discomfort when bowling over the weekend of the NatWest Series Final against Pakistan.

As a result, the decision has been taken to send him home for further investigations into the problem.

Australian Team Physiotherapist Patrick Farhart said: "This decision has been taken with Nathan's long-term interests at heart.

"Initial scans were not conclusive and we were optimistic Nathan could recover to play a full part in the tour.

"But after two and a half weeks of treatment he can only bowl with pain and is unable to throw properly so the sensible course of action is for him to return home for further assessment of the problem."

Nathan Bracken said: "This is a huge disappointment and after the high of being chosen for my first Ashes tour it's a real low to have to head back to Australia after playing just two matches.

"Looking at the positives, the fact that I was chosen in the first place means that I'm in the thoughts of the selectors and so that is a real incentive for me to get back as soon as I can to try and regain my spot in the side."

Noffke, 24, took 15 wickets in four first-class matches for Queensland in 2000/01 and was man of the match in the Pura Cup Final against Victoria. He was subsequently rewarded with an Australian Cricket Board contract for 2001/02.

Noffke was the leading wicket-taker in Brisbane grade cricket in both 1997/98 and 1998/99 and was an Associate Scholar at the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy in 1998/99.