Starc hospitalised after fielding mishap

UPDATE: 

Mitchell Starc has undergone surgery and required 30 stitches after gashing his leg in a training mishap in Sydney today.

Cricket Australia remains 'hopeful' he will be fit for the start of the Australian summer.

Read more here.

EARLIER:

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has sustained a cut to his leg during a training mishap in Sydney today and is being treated at St George hospital.

Starc was participating in a training drill at Hurstville Oval in Sydney's south when he dived forward to field a ball.

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The fast-bowling spearhead landed awkwardly with his left knee hitting a piece of training equipment near a pop-up net.

Surrounding players immediately called for medical support as Starc lay down on his back in obvious discomfort.

The 26-year-old left-arm speedster immediately received the expertise of CA's Bupa Support Team medical staff, with the two doctors and physios in attendance lending assistance.

The injury was deemed serious enough for the medical staff to phone for an ambulance.

After further treatment from the NSW Ambulance paramedics, Starc was moved onto a stretcher and driven away from the ground.

Starc and Australian cricket's leading players are gathered in Sydney this week for a series of fitness tests and pre-season briefings.

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The left-arm quick had already been ruled out of Australia's next assignment, a one-day international tour of South Africa. The Commonwealth Bank Test Series against South Africa starts in 49 days at the WACA Ground.

Australia's one-day squad is due to depart for South Africa early next week.

Starc was the star performer of Australia’s 0-3 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka and the subsequent ODI and T20 series won by Australia.

In 11 matches across all formats on the Sri Lanka tour, Starc took 44 wickets at less than 16 runs apiece.

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He set a new world record as the fastest bowler to 100 one-day international wickets, reaching the milestone in his 52nd match to beat an 18-year-old record held by Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq.

Starc and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood had been given a month off from competitive cricket following the Sri Lanka tour before the home summer.

Australia will play three-Test series against South Africa and Pakistan, home and away ODI competitions against New Zealand and a five-match ODI series against Pakistan and three T20s against Sri Lanka before Australia returns to Asia for a four-Test tour of India.