The Melbourne Stars are set to be without John Hastings for the bulk of the BBL season, with the experienced paceman struggling with a knee injury.
Hastings limped off Bellerive Oval on the second day of Victoria's Sheffield Shield draw with Tasmania last week.
He failed to return to play and Stars coach Stephen Fleming said the burly quick appears to have a patella tendon injury, making him a long-shot for the 2016-17 BBL campaign.
"We won't see much of him, if at all," Fleming told Fairfax Media.
"If news is better than that great, but we fear for the worst.
"We're looking at probably not having him for the Big Bash."
It's been a frustrating summer for the 31-year-old.
The one-Test player was left out of Australia's recent one-day series against New Zealand after a late start to the domestic season due to a broken finger.
He played only one-day cup clash for the Bushrangers in October before pulling up lame in his second Sheffield Shield outing.
He was one of Australia's best bowlers in this year's ODI series against Sri Lanka before also playing in the five-match whitewash loss to South Africa.
The Stars begin their BBL season on Boxing Day against the Hurricanes in Hobart.
