Bird flies home after latest injury setback

Former Australia Test bowler Jackson Bird is heading home after suffering a shoulder injury while playing in the County Championship for Kent.

The 35-year-old had signed a deal for the first six matches of the season, but Bird left the field after injuring his shoulder during Kent's defeat to Hampshire last month.

A specialist has since advised him to return to Australia to begin rehabilitation.

It comes after the right-armer missed the first half of both the Australian summer and the KFC BBL with an Achilles injury picked up on the eve of what was supposed to be Tasmania's first game of the season last September.

"It's been probably the most frustrating period of my career to hurt my Achilles a couple of months ago, and then have a couple of little setbacks along the way just trying to get fit to play Sheffield Shield cricket and then hurt my leg again (at the start of November)," Bird told cricket.com.au ahead of his return for the Sydney Sixers on January 1 this year.

"The good thing that's come out of (the Achilles injury) is I probably know where I'm at in my career.

"I could have quite easily not enjoyed doing the rehab and I could have cut some corners here and there, but I really miss playing so it probably just shows that I'm still keen to keep getting better and keep trying to play some cricket."

Bird's third sojourn in England's domestic first-class competition saw him take 3-83 on his debut against Essex and make a rare half-century. However, he then took 0-83 as Lancashire made 506 and 0-58 as Hampshire hit 6-652.

"We all wish Jackson a swift recovery and he leaves with our best wishes," said Kent's director of cricket Paul Downton.

"We hope to see him fit and playing again at the start of the Australian season."

Bird made nine Test appearances for Australia from 2012-2017.

Australians in 2022 County Championship

Essex: Mark Steketee

Glamorgan: Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser

Gloucestershire: Marcus Harris

Kent: Jackson Bird

Middlesex: Peter Handscomb

Northamptonshire: Matt Kelly

Nottinghamshire: James Pattinson

Somerset: Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle

Sussex: Josh Philippe

Warwickshire: Nathan McAndrew

Get the full rundown of Australians playing county cricket in 2022