Ross Taylor suffers injury scare ahead of first Test against Australia

Perth: New Zealand middle-order batsman Ross Taylor on Tuesday suffered a blow to his right-thumb and as a result, has caused the team to sweat over his availability ahead of the first Test against Australia.

This blow forced the batsman to leave the net sessions in Perth. The Black Caps, however, confirmed that Taylor did not require scans. The injury was being treated with ice.

New Zealand Cricket's official handle tweeted the photo and captioned the post as: "Training #2 at @OptusStadium in Perth. Temperature mid-30s. Boult & CDG have both bowled in the nets. Ross Taylor copped a blow on right thumb - no scan needed so just icing #AUSvNZ".

The Kiwis are already sweating over pacer Trent Boult and all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme's availability for the first Test.

Both Boult and de Grandhomme had suffered muscle injuries in the first Test against England.

Boult was able to bowl just one over on the final day of the first match and he went off the field after suffering pain on the right side of his ribs.

"An MRI scan yesterday confirmed Boult had strained one of the muscles overlying his ribs on his right-hand side but cleared him of any bone stress. Colin de Grandhomme has a tear to his left lower abdominal muscle, sustained during the second fielding innings in the first test win over England at Bay Oval," NZC had said in an official statement.

In Boult's absence, Matt Henry played the second Test against England.

On the other hand, De Grandhomme averages 40.33 with the bat and 29.63 with the ball in 19 Tests. His injury allowed Daryl Mitchell to make his Test but in the second match against England and he went on score 73 in his debut innings.

New Zealand had defeated England 1-0 in the two-match Test series and they will now face Australia in a three-match series.

The first Test will be played at Perth from December 12-16. The series will be a part of the World Test Championship (WTC).