Green ruled out of Sydney Test with broken finger

Australia's injury worries in the Boxing Day Test – and beyond – have deepened with confirmation on Wednesday morning that Cameron Green has broken a bone in his finger.

Green has a small fracture to his right index finger, a Cricket Australia spokesperson confirmed, and while he will be able to bat again if required, will not bowl in South Africa's second innings.

The 23-year-old has also been ruled out of the Sydney Test, and would be doubtful to play in the KFC BBL where he had been expected to play for the Perth Scorchers with the allrounder facing "a period of recovery leading into the Qantas Tour of India".

Green was struck by a fierce lifting delivery from Proteas speedster Anrich Nortje on day two and was forced to retire hurt with blood coming from the knuckle of the damaged finger.

He could be pushing time to get the digit right for that four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy campaign where the allrounder will be a crucial cog if Australia want to field two specialist spinners.

More immediately, it adds to the Aussies' woes in their bid to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead over the Proteas given both Green, who returned career-best figures of 5-24 on Boxing Day, and Mitchell Starc are carrying serious finger injuries on their respective bowling hands.

Starc, who hurt his left middle finger while fielding on day one, could find it difficult to grip the ball. If he was not able to bowl, it would place a heavy burden on captain Pat Cummins, fellow quick Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon when South Africa bat again in Melbourne.

Marnus Labuschagne was practicing his medium pace in the MCG nets on the morning of day three, suggesting the sometime-leg-spinner, sometime-seamer could be called into action with the ball.

As could part-time leggie Steve Smith, who was also rolling his arm over in the indoor nets before play, while part-time off-spinner Travis Head may also need to take some overs.

Starc has bowled and batted in the nets since hurting his finger but while coach Andrew McDonald insisted Starc would be able to play on through the NRMA Insurance Test, he admitted his injury would severely restrict his involvement. 

"He'll play a role with both bat and ball throughout the course of the game," McDonald told SEN on Wednesday morning.

"He'll be limited. His capabilities will probably not be as full as he would like. But he’ll be able to do a role for us, so that's a positive sign this morning.

"We've got a lot of work to still do here. We've got a few in the casualty ward and that's going to limit our capacity to press the whole time in the second innings."

In more positive news for Australia, McDonald confirmed David Warner would be okay to resume his batting innings at the fall of the hosts' first wicket on day three after the opener retired hurt with severe cramps having reached an unbeaten 200.

Extending their 197-run lead will be vital for the Aussies given their undermanned bowling attack, while they also have an illness concern with Steve Smith revealing yesterday he has been battling the flu.

South Africa believe Australia's woes could help them get back into a series they have been completely outplayed in so far.

"That's going to be a big factor," Nortje said on Tuesday of the home side's fitness worries.

"Once we get to that stage (to bat again) it's going to be crucial to bat as long as we can. The more overs the bowlers are going to bowl, the more a back-up bowler…would really have to apply themselves.

"That's going to be a crucial stage for us and hopefully we can have a lot of batters in hand, and work through the difficult stages all day and then cash in later on."