Another fast bowler from New Zealand has succumbed to a stress fracture of the back following similar injuries to Dion Nash, Geoff Allott and Daniel Vettori.

Canterbury's Wade Cornelius has been struggling with back pain for "the last couple of games," said coach Michael Sharpe, who lost a bowler early on for the third State Championship match in a row.

Cornelius, who has been Canterbury's breakthrough player this year with 33 first-class wickets at 16, told CricInfo, "It's a bit sad, but I suppose it could have come at a worse time."

Following he and brother Cleighten opening the bowling together for Canterbury this week against Auckland, the first time siblings have shared the new ball for the province since Richard and Dayle Hadlee 20 years ago, yesterday's day of celebration turned sour at the doctor's this morning.

Cornelius said, "I've had an x-ray that shows two stress fractures," adding that the next step was to further confirm the diagnosis with a bone scan.

"It puts paid to my chances of going to England for the winter," he continued.

Just last Saturday former Lancaster Park team-mate Jimmy Hindson, who played for Nottinghamshire from 1992-97 phoned Cornelius to ask him to play in the Nottinghamshire League for Caythorpe, where the left-arm spinner is professional.

"I'll have to see if I can go as a batsman," joked the likeable tail-ender Cornelius, who will join the likes of Chris Cairns, Shane Bond and Warren Wisneski in the sickbay of Canterbury and New Zealand cricket.

© CricInfo