Siddle fitness not an issue in Perth: Hick

Amid speculation that Peter Siddle's latest injury setback might be linked to his lack of bowling prior to his comeback Test, Australia batting coach Graeme Hick has refuted that the seamer was bowling under duress at the WACA last week.

Siddle has been ruled out of the second Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa that begins in Hobart on Saturday after reporting pain in his troublesome back.

Quick Single: Injury puts Siddle out of second Test

Siddle, who spent more than six months on the sidelines earlier this year after suffering stress fractures in his back during the Test tour to New Zealand last February, was today diagnosed with "low-grade bone oedema" (swelling within the bone) around the site of his recent injury.

The pace bowler, who turns 32 later this month, now faces another uncertain period on the rehabilitation trail although Australia Bupa Support Team officials are hopeful he will return sooner rather than later.

Tasmania seamer Jackson Bird has been put on standby for Australia's 12-man squad for the second Test at Blundstone Arena, although it appears almost certain that Siddle's injury will open the door for uncapped South Australia quick Joe Mennie to make his Test debut.

Siddle's injury has been linked to the fact he was required to bowl 38 overs, a number of them in extreme heat last Saturday, in the first Test which South Africa won by 177 runs.

With his susceptibility compounded by his lack of recent bowling, having played just three Matador BBQs One Day Cup fixtures and a solitary Sheffield Shield match for Victoria prior to his recall to the Test format.

But Australia's recently appointed batting coach Graeme Hick, the Zimbabwe-born former England Test batsman, claimed today that suggestion was spurious because Siddle had made it through the Perth Test before reporting the soreness in his back.

"You can't look at it like that, he got through the Test match," Hick said this afternoon when the Australians arrived in Hobart having surrendered a 1-0 advantage to South Africa in the three-match series.

"I'm sure if you'd given Sidds the option at the start he'd would have bitten your hand off to play that Test match.

"He performed well in 37 degree heat, it was a tough job for a fast bowler on the track, their two batters (Proteas century makers Dean Elgar and JP Duminy) played beautifully and set up the game for (South Africa).

"So it was a tough day at the office for Sidds.

"I don't know the results or how long it will be, but hopefully he'll be back soon."

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Given that Australia coach Darren Lehmann earlier indicated that all Australia pace bowlers, along with their overworked South Africa comrades, were left feeling the pinch after the Perth Test there is a case to lay the blame at the feet of the batters.

Whose inability to post a significant first-innings lead after the Proteas were bowled out on the opening day for 242 consigned the home team's attack to bowling at some stage on all of the Test's first four days.

As a consequence, much of the focus at training during the three days leading into the second Test will be on shoring up the shortfalls in Australia's top order.

With Hick, who began his role as Michael di Venuto's replacement as batting guru at the start of this series having spent some time with the squad during last June's ODI tri-series in the Caribbean, charged with overseeing those corrections.

The 50-year-old, who played 65 Tests for England from 1991-2001, claimed that while the Australia batting line-up is hardly filled with novices, a number of them are still learning their trade at international level.

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And reasonably new Test players such as Mitchell Marsh are not afforded many opportunities to work on their batting because of the volume of international cricket they play.

Which means they have limited exposure to domestic competitions in which to experiment and expand their skills sets.

"That's my challenge," Hick said when asked how he turns around batting form with just three days before the second Test begins.

"They're a group of very talented young players, and I say young because many of them are still really learning their game.

"Unfortunately, without playing a lot of Shield cricket these days because of the international program they are learning to play their game or master their game out in the Test arena.

"So my challenge is creating that relationship with them and that trust with them, so I can speak with them about their game and hopefully help them develop as good players and make better decisions.

"They'll certainly be wanting to turn it around, and I'm sure from my short time with the this group – a little bit in the Caribbean one-day series and this last week – there's some individuals who are very driven to be successful.

"And I doubt that they'll really need me to tell them what to do, I think they'll work that out for themselves."

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