Hastings suffers fresh injury blow

Australia fast bowler John Hastings has a suffered an injury setback on the eve of the summer with Victoria confirming he'll likely miss the early stages of the JLT One-Day Cup.

Hastings, on the comeback trail from an ankle injury picked up while playing for Worcestershire in August, injured his back while bowling in the nets in Melbourne.

The right-armer is expected to miss the beginning of the 50-over tournament and will be replaced in the Bushrangers squad by uncapped teenager Xavier Crone.

Bushrangers physio Nick Adcock said it was a "slight setback" for the right-armer and expects him to be available later on in the tournament.

"John unfortunately injured his back while bowling during training in the MCG nets last Friday,” said Adcock.

"John had only recently returned from an ankle injury so naturally this a slight setback for him.

"We'll manage his treatment over the next couple of weeks and remain hopeful he’ll be able to return to the JLT One-Day Cup squad and make a big impact in the matches in Sydney."

Hastings has represented Australia 29 times in the 50-over format and was in Australia's squad for the Champions Trophy earlier this year. He was the world's second-leading ODI wicket taker in 2016.

The 31-year-old had returned to the middle following his ankle injury during Victoria's pre-season camp in Queensland, playing in the last of their practice matches in the Sunshine State.

Stand-in captain Cameron White last week described Hastings as "fully fit" following the ankle injury and a likely starter for the Bushrangers' first match of their JLT Cup against Western Australia at the WACA on Sunday.

James Pattinson could join Hastings in returning to the Victoria squad for the back-end of the domestic 50-over competition, with the tearaway returning to bowling in the nets in recent weeks after inflammation in his back saw him withdrawn from Australia's Test tour of Bangladesh.

Crone, a tall 19-year-old quick from Bendigo who was elevated from the rookie list to a full contract at the beginning of this season, played a handful of Futures League matches last summer but is yet to make his senior domestic debut.