CA to 'nurse' Harris' 'troublesome' knee to make him fit for Proteas Test series

Cricket Australia (CA) will reportedly attempt to nurse star paceman Ryan Harris and his troublesome knee through to the end of the next series against world No.1 South Africa in February and March.

A rare winter break, between the World Twenty20 in March-April and an October Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, presents a chance for some players to head to the Indian Premier League or county cricket and others to indulge in a much-needed rest following almost 18 months of constant cricket.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Harris was buoyed by the results of scans on his knee this week, which cleared him of any fresh concerns ahead of the Boxing Day Test against England, although he may need an operation during the winter and medical staff are hoping to keep him in action for the three-Test series against the Proteas.

CA has been proactive in stockpiling fast bowlers in case of breakdowns, with Nathan Coulter-Nile and Doug Bollinger on standby for Boxing Day, and James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc expected to be available for the South Africa series, the report added.