New South Wales team management will wait until tomorrow morning before making a final decision on Michael Slater's availability to play in the Pura Cup match against Victoria at the Punt Road ground in Melbourne.

In a potentially major setback to the Blues' chances in the contest, the State and Test opener was struck a painful blow while fielding at the side's final training session this afternoon. X-rays were set to be taken this evening to determine the full extent of damage to the index finger on his right hand.

The Blues' camp remains optimistic that the finger has not been broken as a result of the mishap and consider that they will be in a better position to assess the extent of the aggressive right hander's discomfort shortly before the match begins tomorrow. In the meantime, Greg Mail has been pulled out of the state second eleven's ACB Cup match in Perth (only seventeen runs short of a century no less) to act as a standby.

Slater's potential absence brings to five the number of likely front-line absentees from what otherwise had shaped as one of the best match-ups of the season. Although it appears that all-rounder Ian Harvey will be passed fit to play, injury has hit the Victorian squad particularly badly, with Matthew Elliott, Damien Fleming, Laurie Harper and Colin Miller all appearing set to watch the game from the sidelines.

© 2000 CricInfo Ltd