New Zealand pacer Trent Boult to head home due to back injury

Trent Boult

London, June 14 (IANS) New Zealand pace bowler Trent Boult is out of the team's tour of England and will return to home for treatment on a "stress-related injury to his back", it was announced on Sunday.

The injury was revealed when the left-armer, who had been in devastating form for the Black Caps recently, was not included in the playing XI for the third One-Day international (ODI) against England being played in Southampton on Sunday night.

"Trent Boult was ruled out of the match and the remainder of the England Tour with a stress-related injury to his back. Boult will return home tomorrow (Monday) for further assessment," New Zealand cricket said in a statement.

Boult, 25, was replaced in the side by Matt Henry while 23-year-old Ben Wheeler made his debut as the 185th New Zealander to play one-day cricket.

Boult was New Zealand's top wicket-taker during their memorable run to the cricket World Cup final in February and March, taking 22 wickets at 16.86. He tied with Australia's Mitchell Starc as the tournament's leading wicket-taker.

He was declared man-of-the-series in the recently concluded 1-1 drawn series against England.