Wellington: New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham underwent surgery on Saturday night to treat a compound dislocation on his left ring finger, his domestic T20 team Cricket Wellington confirmed.
“James Neesham has a confirmed compound dislocation (exposure of joint surfaces) of his left ring finger. He underwent surgery on Saturday night and has been put in a splint,” Cricket Wellington said in a tweet.
“It will be reviewed by a hand specialist in a week, with the aim to be available for the back end of the Super Smash,” it added.
Neesham is expected to return to action for the back end of the ongoing Super Smash tournament, where Wellington are currently leading the table.
“Just to clarify to everyone asking, I underwent a minor procedure last night to make sure my finger is still in good shape. Thankfully it was,” the Kiwi cricketer said in tweet.
“The aim is to be back in time for the @SuperSmashNZ finals in early February,” he added.
The 30-year-old all-rounder has featured in five of his team's six matches so far, scoring 65 runs and taking eight wickets at an average of 16.25.
He played Saturday's Super Smash match against Canterbury and top-scored with 49 to lead Wellington to 154 for seven. But with the ball, he gave away 30 runs from 3.4 overs as Wellington suffered its first defeat of the season.
Neesham, who has mostly been restricted to T20 cricket in recent months, had struggled for form during the IPL in the UAE, managing just 19 runs and two wickets from five matches for Kings XI Punjab, who finished sixth on the table and missed out on the playoffs for the sixth straight year. (UNI)
