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Australia have lost back-up speedster Lance Morris for the Ashes summer after it was decided to send him to New Zealand for the same back surgery that Cameron Green had last year.

Cricket Australia is set to officially confirm the news later on Sunday, but a source with knowledge of discussions told this masthead that Morris is out of contention for the home season and will imminently have surgery on his back in the hope of returning to the game next year.

Lance Morris made his international debut for Australia last year. Credit: Getty Images

“I feel this is the most logical way to realise my full potential and return to my very best cricket for the Scorchers, Western Australia and Australia long into the future,” Morris said after CA released a statement about the fast bowler.

“I also take great confidence in others who have undergone similar procedures and returned to their best. I plan to work hard through my recovery and return when the time is right.”

Morris, 27, is capable of bowling in the 150km/h range and has been an understudy for Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland over the past couple of seasons.

In the Sheffield Shield, Morris has plucked an impressive 87 wickets at 24.75 from 26 games for Western Australia.

He has also played three ODI matches for Australia, but was pulled out of the squad for the current series against South Africa when he complained of back soreness and went home to Perth for closer examination.

Traditionally, CA has been reluctant to send young fast bowlers for back surgery, preferring to let stress fractures heal through a lengthy rehab process.

But in recent years, increasing numbers of bowlers have resorted to a surgical procedure pioneered in New Zealand that stabilises the spine. James Pattinson, Jason Behrendorff and Ben Dwarshuis each took that option, as did Green at the outset of last summer after his latest back flare-up.

Overseas players such as Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Shane Bond have also had the procedure, performed by Christchurch-based surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten and involving the use of screws and titanium wire to bind vertebrae together.

Green is set to resume bowling competitively at the start of the Shield season prior to the Ashes.

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