Paine to have neck surgery as Ashes loom

SYDNEY: Australian Test captain Tim Paine will undergo surgery for a pinched nerve in his neck, but is confident of being fit for the opening Test of the Ashes series against England.

The 36-year-old revealed Monday he had been suffering pain in his neck and left arm due to a bulging disc which hampered his ability to train at full intensity. He said in a statement that it had not responded to treatment and a spinal surgeon last week recommended that he go under the knife to relieve the pressure.

With the first Test against England scheduled to start in Brisbane on December 8, the operation will take place on Tuesday to give time for recovery. “The consensus of the spinal surgeon and the Cricket Australia medical team was to have the surgery now which will allow plenty of time to fully prepare for the summer,” he said.

“I expect to be able to restart physical activity by the end of this month and be back in full training in October. “I will be ready to go by the first Test and am very much looking forward to what will be a huge summer.” After Brisbane, the Ashes are due to move to Adelaide, followed by the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne then Sydney and Perth.