New Zealand faced a major setback on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies when fast bowler Blair Tickner injured his left shoulder and had to be stretchered off the field.
The match, which began on December 10 at the Basin Reserve, saw Tickner making his first Test appearance since early 2023. He had been drafted into the squad due to an already injury-hit New Zealand pace attack.
Tickner started brilliantly, quickly emerging as New Zealand’s standout bowler. West Indies were asked to bat first, and he ripped through their batting lineup, taking four wickets for just 32 runs, including dismissals of Brandon King, Kavem Hodge, Shai Hope, and Roston Chase.
However, disaster struck in the 63rd over of the innings. While chasing a shot from Tevon Imlach near the boundary, Tickner landed awkwardly while diving to stop the ball. He stayed on the ground in pain before being attended to by teammates and medical staff. He was then taken off the field on a stretcher, sitting upright, and received warm applause from fans before being transported to the hospital for further checks.
New Zealand already have a long list of injured fast bowlers this series, including Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke, and Matt Fisher. Losing Tickner mid-match adds to their woes, leaving a very inexperienced pace attack featuring Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, and debutant Michael Rae if he cannot continue.
Before the injury, Tickner had played a key role in restricting the West Indies to just 205 runs, highlighting his value to the team despite his limited opportunities at Test level.
