| PAINFUL WAIT FOR NEWS ON VETTORI |
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New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori's immediate fate probably will not be known until today at the earliest as he battles his latest injury mishap.
The left-arm spinner was carried from the field in Canberra on Sunday after spraining his right ankle when attempting to field a full-blooded drive off his own bowling.
The incident marred the opening day of New Zealand's match against the ACT President's X1.
Vettori was in extreme pain on Sunday night and yesterday was undergoing treatment which included regular icing of the swollen ankle.
New Zealand manager Jeff Crowe said it was too early to ascertain the extent of the injury, and how long it would keep New Zealand's key bowler off the field.
Crowe said it was hoped Vettori would have a scan and visit a specialist sports doctor.
It was too early to say whether his participation in the first test starting in Brisbane on November 8 was in doubt.
Crowe said team management would have a better idea of the damage today, hopefully after the swelling had subsided.
"I feel so sorry for him. He's been desperate to get back out there," Crowe said last night.
"He's pretty down, as you would be.
"He's devastated by it."
Crowe said Vettori felt the injury was due in part to the long sprigs he was wearing on a new pair of boots.
The sprigs caught in the turf when he was moving to stop the ball.
For Vettori it was a continuation of the rotten luck which has dogged him in the past 18 months.
A back stress-fracture has hampered him throughout that time and he has not played a test match in 13 months since re-injuring his back in Zimbabwe.
The 22-year-old has taken 106 wickets from 31 tests at an average of 32.62.
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