Kiwi pacer Southee comes 'under cloud' for Champions Trophy with ankle injury

New Zealand paceman Tim Southee's participation in the remainder of the ICC Champions Trophy has come under a cloud as he struggles with an ankle injury.

As New Zealand arrived in a cold, windy Cardiff, weather more akin to what usually greets the All Blacks here in November, injury concerns shifted from spinner Daniel Vettori to Southee as they eye England in their final group A match on Sunday, Stuff.co.nz reports.

Revealing that Southee was battling an ankle injury, in view of his bowling struggles with the white ball after an outstanding test series, coach Mike Hesson has said that given Southee's heavy workload, the injury will be taking its toll on him some time in the future, adding that it is yet unknown as to how the injury would turn up, at the moment.

According to the report, since Southee was rested in game two of the England series in Southampton, he has bowled 20 wicket-less overs for 116 runs, and has struggled to swing the white ball, adding that the number contrasts sharply with Southee's numbers in the two-Test series where he took 12 wickets at 19.58.

Seamers Doug Bracewell and Ian Butler are Southee's potential replacements, while left-armer Corey Anderson is travelling with the squad to prepare for the two Twenty20 matches against England at the end of the month, although he is not in the tournament squad, the report added.